Collision
by MissLindaLee
Summary: This ain't yer Daddy's Hazzard.... Dukes/Numb3rs Universe
1. Chapter 1

**Balladeer: Well, another beautiful day in Hazzard--the fish're jumpin', the birds're singin', Miss Talbot in the General Store is playin' with her bottom dentures, an' tha Duke boys're bustin' seams an' wallets over tha pool table at tha Boar's Nest; on a day as clear as this'n, ain't nothin' comin' that we can't see a mile away.**

Johnny Cash's "Hurt" played on the jukebox in the Boar's Nest. The locals were hanging out around the bar, drinking, eating, and talking about whatever was on their minds. Bo and Luke were playing pool; Bo leaned over the green velvet with his cue in hand as Luke watched with a grin on his face. He knew Bo had to make the shot - a next-to-impossible one – and Luke had five dollars riding on his cousin missing it. After what seemed like an eternity Bo took his shot. He hit the white ball into the six ball, which ricocheted off the nine ball and banked around the eight ball to sink the three ball into the far corner pocket. He grinned at his cousin as he stood up.

"Looks like you owe me five dollars, cousin," Bo said.

"You cheated," Luke protested.

"How?" Bo asked.

"I don't know," Luke replied, "but you did." He stopped short when he saw something moving over Bo's shoulder. He looked past his cousin, and his eyes widened. Bo saw Luke's expression changed, and he turned to look behind him; his eyes widened when he saw what his cousin had been looking at.

A young woman, dressed in a tailor-made black pants suit, stood in the entrance to the bar. Her blonde hair hung loosely over her shoulders, and her eyes were covered by a pair of designer sunglasses. A black purse hung over her shoulder, and she glanced around the bar, looking about as out of place as a nun in a casino.

Bo whistled softly. "Man, it's times like this I wish I was a few years younger."

The young woman turned her head when she heard Bo speak. She grinned and chuckled. "Well, even if you were, then I'd still be off limits to you." She removed her glasses, showing off her sparkling green eyes. "Uncle Bo Bo." The Dukes' eyebrows shot up as they stared; they remained rooted where they stood, trying to process what they just heard. The young woman smiled as she crossed her arms. "Well, it never fails. Even after all this time I can still make two of my favorite men speechless."

"Well, as I live and breath," Bo grinned as he dropped his cue on the pool table and crossed the room in two strides. "Jellybean!" He picked up the young woman and hugged her tightly as he swung her around; she hugged him tightly around his neck as everyone watched. After a few moments he put her down and pulled back. Immediately, Luke pounced on her, but she giggled and hugged him as he squeezed her tightly.

"Everyone, look who came back to us," Bo shouted to the rest of the people watching. "It's Kelly!" The bar erupted into whoops and hollers at the mention of the young girl's name.

Kelly blushed. "Some things never change," she said. She was used to being shown off by her surrogate uncles, even after all these years, and she secretly loved the attention, even though she pretended to be embarrassed.

"Well, some things do," Luke said, He gently held up a few of her blonde locks. "Care to explain why you went from dark to light?"

"Hey, I think she looks good," Bo replied.

"You would," Luke retorted.

Kelly laughed. "Well, it was actually a little case of rebellion earlier this month," she replied. "Daddy and I were in Paris, and I got it done without him knowin' about it."

"How'd he take it?" Bo asked.

"Might as well have dyed it purple with orange stripes," Kelly answered. "He nearly hit the roof. I mean, it's my hair, and I should be allowed to change it without him makin' a fuss."

"Speakin' of the old man," Luke replied. "Where is he? And aren't you supposed to have some extra people with you?"

"Well, Daddy and I had a little fight earlier today," Kelly replied. "So, we took separate limos. As for the monkeys in suits, I told them I didn't need them comin' in here, seein' how I spent half my life in here and you two are here; they're out patrolin' the area, makin' sure no one gets in here that doesn't belong."

Bo and Luke glanced at each other. "Uh, Kelly, honey, I thought your daddy made sure you always have someone with you to keep you safe."

"Well, I still do," Kelly replied. "I got you two – and I trust you more with my life than those pencil pushers from D.C." She put her arms through theirs. "Now, let's say I buy us a round of drinks, and we forget that I'm the daughter of the Vice President for a few hours?"

"Well, Luke," Bo said, "I think it would be rude of use to turn down a lady's request."

"I agree, cousin," Luke replied. The trio headed to an empty table and sat down. "Hey, Mike, a round of our usuals!"

"You got it, Luke!" Mike said from behind the bar. He smiled at Kelly. "Welcome back, Kelly!"

Kelly grinned. "It's only temporary, Mike, but thanks!"

"'Temporary?'" Bo asked. "Ya mean, ya just passin' through?"

"Yeah, just really here to pick up Angel," Kelly replied. A waitress came over and put three mugs of amber drink on the table. Kelly took hers and guzzled it down in seconds. She wiped her mouth, then belched loudly. A few of the patrons whistled and clapped, and Kelly grinned as she held up her hands, like she had just won a fight.

"Well, it's true what they say," Luke replied. "Ya can take a gal out of Hazzard, but ya can't take Hazzard outta the gal."

Kelly smiled. "You better believe it," she replied, holding up her mug. "Mike, refill!"

**Balladeer: Just so ya know, Kelly holds the record for being the youngest drinkin' patron at the Boar's Nest - she started when she was ten months old. First it was bottles, then sippy cups, then mason jars, and now she's finally all grown up and drinkin' from a mug.**

"Comin' up!" Mike hollered back.

"You sure you can handle havin' all that at once?" Luke grinned.

"Now, you know I don't become a mean drunk until I've had five mugs of Ginger Ale," Kelly grinned and winked. Bo and Luke laughed.

"Now, I know I'm not hearin' things," a voice said from behind Kelly. The young woman turned around and saw Daisy standing behind her, smiling.

"Daisy!" Kelly shouted as she leapt to her feet and all but pounced on her 'aunt,' hugging her tightly.

"How you doin', sugar?" Daisy asked as she hugged Kelly.

"Okay, I guess," Kelly replied.

"And blonder," Daisy remarked, nodding at Kelly's hair.

"Do you like it?" Kelly asked.

"Do you?" Daisy asked.

"Yeah, I do," Kelly replied.

"Then that's all that matters," Daisy said. Kelly smiled gratefully. "And I really think you look great." Kelly's grin widened. "Now, what brings you out here?" She glanced around. "And who in here do I need to worry about?"

Kelly smiled. "I'm here to get Angel. And I'm in here by myself, so no one extra to worry about."

"Yer daddy just let you come here all by yerself?" Daisy asked.

"Well, he's on his way," Kelly replied. "He's just-"

"Kelly Angelica Davenport!"

Everyone stopped and turned as two unfamiliar men in suits came into the bar. Behind them was another man, also in a suit, but everyone recognized him, silvery gray hairs, angry expression and all; he stared right at Kelly.

Kelly cringed. "--here." She smiled sheepishly at the man. "Hi, Daddy."

"Don't 'hi, Daddy,' me, young lady," Cooter replied, walking over to her. The entire bar got quiet as people pretended to be interested in everything else except Cooter and Kelly; Bo, Luke, and Daisy stood off on one side and watched. It wasn't the first time they had seen Cooter and Kelly argue, but they had a feeling this one was big. "You've got a lot of explainin' to do."

"I have no idea what you're talkin' about," Kelly said, crossing her arms.

"Don't get sassy with me," Cooter replied. "Now, I thought we had an agreement."

"And I stuck to it," Kelly said.

"Really?" Cooter asked. He glanced over his shoulder. "Gary! Paul!" Two more men in suits came into the bar, but they looked frazzled, their suits were dirty and covered in garbage; they also stank like rotten eggs and looked embarrassed. Cooter turned back to his daughter. "Then why in the hell did I find them locked in the dumpster behind the bar?"

"What are you gettin' so fired up about?" Kelly asked.

"I told you to stop doin' this stuff," Cooter said.

"You said not to put any more agents in the trunk of my limo," Kelly pointed out. "They weren't in the limo." She smirked. "'sides, you should be thankin' me for pointin' out how crummy the Secret Service is in trainin' their agents if they can't even keep an eye on their own subject."

Cooter leaned over and got close to his daughter's face. "I want you to go back to your limo and stay in it until I'm done here."

Kelly scowled and her hands clenched into fists, but she kept her hands at her sides. A few seconds passed, then she brushed past her father and stormed out of the bar. When she reached the entrance she stopped and turned around. "You know, Daddy, in case you don't realize this, I'm twenty three years old."

"Then maybe you should start actin' that way," Cooter retorted.

Kelly chuckled mirthlessly as she headed out of the bar. Cooter sighed and turned to Kelly's agents. "Keep an eye on her; I don't want her steppin' foot outta her limo until further notice." The two agents nodded and left. Cooter looked apologetically at his friends. "Sorry about that." He smiled a bit. "Hi."

"Hey, Coot," Luke replied as he shook hands with his friend. Cooter then shook Bo's hand and hugged Daisy.

"Is everythin' okay?" Daisy asked.

Cooter shrugged. "I don't know what's goin' on with her." He sighed as he took a seat at the table. Bo, Luke, and Daisy joined him. "She's gone through four security details in three months."

"Let me guess," Luke said, "stuffed 'em all in the trunk of her limo?"

"Stuffed 'em in the trunk," Cooter replied, "locked in closets, a couple of outhouses . . . hell, she even stuffed one into a footlocker and tried mailing him to Cairo."

Bo knew he shouldn't, but he burst out laughing. "Yep, that sounds like our Kelly," he said, grinning, looking almost proud. He promptly stopped laughing when he saw three pairs of angry eyes staring at him. "But . . . uh, well, what she did was very wrong."

"How did you find out about the one who got mailed?" Daisy asked.

"When the footlocker got x-rayed at Dulles International," Cooter replied. "S.W.A.T. team, FBI, and Secret Service were called out . . . caused a big mess."

"I remember that," Daisy said. "That was Kelly's handiwork?"

"Kelly's work," Cooter replied. "Maybe should've involved my hand, but ya know . . . ." He sighed and rubbed his hand over his face. "I don't know what to do with her anymore."

"Come on, Coot," Luke said, "don't sound too much different than when she was younger."

"But she's almost twenty-two years old, Lucas," Cooter replied. "She should know better than to do stuff like this."

"Have ya tried talkin' to her?" Bo asked.

"She avoids me," Cooter replied. "And when we do talk, she's always yellin' at me." He looked up as the front door slammed open and Paul and Gary came in, gasping for air as they hurried over to Cooter. "What is it, you two?"

"It's . . . Kelly," Gary gapsed. Cooter and the gang got to their feet as Cooter's stomach turned to ice.

"What is it?" Cooter asked. "Did she leave the limo?"

"No, she's still . . . in the limo," Paul wheezed.

"Then what's wrong?" Cooter asked. "Is she sick?"

"No . . . she's . . . fine," Gary replied.

"So, if she's in the limo and she's fine," Cooter replied, frustrated, "then what is the problem?"

"The limo isn't in the parking lot anymore," Paul simply answered.

**Balladeer: You know, if you weren't familiar with the people of Hazzard, then you might think someone came along and stole the limo with Kelly in it, but I'd be willing to wager that the only person who stole the limo was . . . well, Kelly herself. Of course, the last time that anyone stole a limo in Hazzard was . . . well, was when Cooter stole Limo One. And that caused a whole heap of trouble. Must be in the genes. Tell ya, one thing's for certain,. . . someone's gonna be in big trouble.**

(End of Chapter 1)


	2. Chapter 2

WARNING: Non-sexual spanking scene 

- - - -

Kelly leaned back in the driver's seat as she tore down the dirt road, dust flying behind the long black car. It had been almost two years since she'd driven in Hazzard, but she remembered every twist, turn, and rock on those roads; they were as much a part of her as the blood flowing through her veins. She knew she was going to be in big trouble, but that was the last thing on her mind at the moment. She was home – and she was going to make the most of it. The young woman sighed with content – but it didn't last long.

The first twelve notes of Dixie sounded loudly behind her – and Kelly stiffened. She slowly looked in the side mirror, and sure enough there was the General Lee, peeling down the road behind her. Kelly wasn't sure what to make of seeing the orange car behind her like that. Part of her was worried – she knew either of her uncles could be just as dangerous as her own father when it came to disciplining her. Then again, they were the only people in Hazzard – outside of Cooter, Daisy, and Uncle Jesse – who could challenge her as a driver.

She hated dilemmas.

"Boy, this sure feels familiar," Luke said as he sat in the passenger seat, watching the limo speed down the dirt road.

"Yeah, but at least this time we don't have to worry about gettin' in to trouble if she ditches it in our barn," Bo replied, partially amused.

"Cousin, if she tries ditchin' that thin' in our barn," Luke said, "she's gonna have to deal with Uncle Jesse. Even she's not that stupid . . . I think." The boys saw the limo slowly pulling farther ahead. "Oh, she's not really thinkin' about tryin' to outrun us, is she?" The car suddenly shot away from the General.

"Oh, yeah, she's thinkin' it," Bo said. All traces of amusement were gone as he pushed harder the gas pedal, taking off after the long black car.

**Balladeer: Now, folks, I don't know about you, but seems ta me everyone in Hazzard knows better'n ta challenge the General Lee and more importantly Bo Duke, so either that girl's been breathin' too many political fumes or she's just spoilin' fer some trouble ….**

Kelly knew she had the advantage of distance, but she wasn't stupid. She was in a limo specially equipped to protect the Vice President, but even with all the modifications to it – including the souped-up V8 engine – there was no way she'd be able to outrun the General forever.

It didn't mean that she wouldn't try.

The young woman floored the gas pedal, and the limo peeled off down the road, dust and rocks flying everywhere. She glanced in her rearview mirror and grinned as the General got smaller and smaller; she turned back and saw a familiar set of crossroads coming up. She smirked as the limo approached, and she didn't let up on the gas as she made a hard left.

"Oh, she is not doin' what I think she's gonna do," Luke said as they followed the limo and turned left. A few seconds later, they passed a sign that read 'Hazzard Gorge, 3 Miles;' the limo showed no sign of slowing down. "Bo, she ain't gonna make it – not in that thing."

"Way ahead of ya," Bo said. He floored the gas pedal, and the General shot forward. He peeled rubber going past the limo, and Luke habitually glanced over, even though he knew he wouldn't be able to see Kelly through the tinted windows; he wanted Kelly to see his expression – and know how much trouble she was in.

The General sped past the limo, and Bo could see the gorge ahead. He quickly slammed on the brakes and turned the wheel hard left. The Charger spun on its wheels and stopped perpendicular to the road. Bo and Luke watched as the limo sped toward them, but then suddenly the black car's wheels screeched as the car slammed to a halt.

For a few minutes no one moved or made a sound. The boys gauged their prey, calculating from experience what she was going to do. When they saw she wasn't moving, they climbed out of their car and walked over to the limo's driver side. Bo pounded twice on the window.

"Kelly Davenport, you better open this door now!" he demanded. The window slowly rolled down, and the boys saw Kelly sitting in the driver's side. She smiled sweetly up at them.

"Hi, guys," she replied cheerfully. "Lovely day for driving, huh?"

"What in the hell were you thinking?" Luke demanded. "You coulda gotten yerself killed!"

"I coulda made it," Kelly replied calmly. "You worry too much, Uncle Luke."

"Young lady, we may not be blood kin," Bo said, "but that ain't stopped us in the past from tannin' yer hide if we saw fit – and this is gearin' up to be one of those times!"

"You can't spank me," Kelly replied. "I didn't to nothin' wrong."

"Have you plum lost it?" Luke asked.

"No, but I haven't left the limo since Daddy told me to get in there and stay put," Kelly answered. "Which means you can't do a thing to me." Bo and Luke glanced at each other, then they nodded. Luke headed back toward the General, and Bo leaned over really close to Kelly.

"Move … over," he said through clenched teeth, his voice low with edge.

Kelly's eyes widened; she had rarely seen Bo get that angry, but she knew when he did he meant business – and she would be smart enough to do what he told her. She slowly scooted over to the passenger's side as Bo opened the door. She reflexively buckled her seatbelt as Bo got in and closed the door. He reached for the shifter to put the limo into gear, then he stuck his head out the open window.

"Hey, Luke!" he shouted to his cousin, "get on the channel and let Cooter know we have a fresh order of wings to serve up to him."

"You got it, cousin!" Luke shouted from the General.

Kelly started shrinking in on herself as Bo glanced at her, his eyes daggers, his jaw set straight. She didn't say anything as Bo put the car into gear and turned the limo around, heading back to the Boar's Nest with the General right behind.

- - - -

Cooter felt like a caged tiger as he paced ten feet back and forth, his feet crunching on the gravel outside the Boar's Nest. All six members of the Davenports' Secret Service details – including both drivers – were standing nearby. Daisy stood nearby watching her friend.

"Cooter, ya need to calm down," she said.

"Calm down?" Cooter asked, his Southern twang coming back with each word. "Calm down? My daughter deliberately disobeyed me and stole a car – and not just any car; it was my limo!"

"Well, Cooter, in all fairness," Daisy replied, "you did the exact same thing with the President's car, remember?"

"I'm well aware of what I did," Cooter said. "That don't give her the right to do what she did."

"No, it don't," Daisy agreed. She was about to say something else, but she was interrupted by the sound of two engines. Everyone looked over as the limo and the General pulled onto the gravel drive; the limo stopped in front of Cooter, and he grabbed the door handle and yanked open the door before the engine turned off. He saw his daughter sitting there, strapped in, staring straight ahead, arms folded.

"Get … out," he growled.

"Why should I?" Kelly asked.

"Because I am your father, and I told you to get out," Cooter replied, talking through his teeth. "And because I am getting really close to taking you over my knee and tanning your hide."

Kelly slowly looked over. "You don't have the nerve," she said. The entire place fell silent; no one made a sound as they watched Cooter, waiting to see what he was going to do to that challenge. He quickly reached over and unbuckled Kelly from her seatbelt, then he grabbed her arm and pulled her out of the limo. Holding her firmly by her forearm, he turned to Daisy.

"May I borrow your office?" he asked.

Daisy was too stunned to do anything but nod, and Cooter marched past everyone with his daughter in tow. He walked into the Boar's Nest with Kelly firmly in his grip, but he didn't say anything as he led Kelly over to the back room. He walked in and let go of his daughter before slamming the door shut.

"So, you don't think I got the nerve, huh?" he asked.

"Well, the last time you punished me was almost five years ago," Kelly replied, not faltering.

"Well, then maybe it's time to refresh your memory of what it's like," Cooter replied. "Especially after everything you've done today." Before Kelly could even open her mouth Cooter grabbed her arm and led her over to the polished desk. He sat on the end and pulled Kelly across his lap, holding her down with one hand on her back. "Now, I would have thought you were too old for this, but your behavior today has proven me wrong." He raised his right hand and brought it down swiftly, hitting Kelly right underneath the curvature of her bottom.

Kelly howled loudly as the sharp sting resonated around the site of impact; her feet were barely touching the floor, and they flailed with the first impact; she didn't think her father would actually follow through with it, and she tried to get free, but his arm was braced against her tightly like a vice – and she wasn't going anywhere until he was through with her. She howled as another impact sent stinging pain through her body.

"Please, stop!" she begged as tears welled up in her eyes.

"I will when I'm through," Cooter replied calmly, trying to keep his voice from cracking. He hated causing his daughter pain, but he knew she brought this on herself – and he couldn't let her go unpunished any longer. He brought his hand up and down again.

"Daddy, please!" Kelly shouted after the tenth spank. "Stop it!"

"You have ten more to go," Cooter said, swatting her again.

"Twenty spanks for taking the stupid limo!" Kelly asked.

"And for that little stunt you pulled at Heathrow earlier today," Cooter answered. He brought his hand up and down ten more times, hurting for his daughter every time he heard her whimper. When he was finished he removed his hand from her back, intending to do what he always did after punishing her – take her in his arms and let her know he still loved her – but the moment he removed his hand Kelly leapt to her feet.

Cooter sighed, seeing the tears streaming down her face. "Kelly, I -"

"Just leave me alone!" she shouted as she marched to the door and threw it open. She stopped briefly when she saw the patrons of the Boar's Nest – including Bo, Luke, Daisy, and one of the agents from both Cooter and Kelly's details (the other agents and driver were out with the car) – trying to pretend they hadn't heard anything; the young woman knew they had heard everything, and she suddenly felt very humiliated. Holding her head up high she marched past everyone and headed for the front door.

"Where are you going, young lady?" Cooter asked as he marched out of the office. "We're not through!"

Kelly stopped and turned around. "What, you have other ways you want to humiliate me?" She snorted mirthlessly. "Look, I'm going to make this really clear. You can you stay here and enjoy yourself while I go get Angel and head back to D.C. for my things – then I'm out of there." She turned and grabbed the front door knob.

"You're not going anywhere!" Cooter said loudly, his voice booming. Kelly, despite her anger towards his father, stopped in her tracks. "Now, you turn around right now!" Kelly turned around, but she was glaring at her father, her eyes narrow. "You listen to me and listen good. I have had enough of this little attitude of yours."

"Well, once I'm gone you won't have that problem," Kelly replied.

"Are you hard of hearing?" Cooter asked. "You. Are. Not. Going. Anywhere."

"You know," Kelly said, walking over to her father, "I have had just about enough of this! If you weren't my father, I -"

"Okay, hold it right there," Luke said as he and Bo put themselves in between daddy and daughter and gently pushed them away from each other before they literally came to blows. Luke put his hands on Cooter's chest, keeping him back. "Easy, Coot, come on."

"Okay, Kelly, easy does it," Bo said, his hands lightly gripping Kelly's shoulders. He glanced over his shoulder at his cousin, and they both nodded. "Look, uh, Daisy, why don't you take Kelly out to the limo? Luke, you and me can ride with Cooter in his limo, and we can all go out to the farm to cool off, okay?"

"Fine by me," Kelly replied, keeping her eyes on her father. "I wanted to see Uncle Jesse anyway." She turned and headed out of the bar with Daisy close behind; Kelly's agent followed the two ladies. The Dukes and Cooter followed shortly after that, and then Cooter's agent behind them.

**Balladeer: Folks, what ya just witnessed was something very historical for Hazzard County: a fight was stopped in the Boar's Nest before it even began. In this case, it was probably a good thing, because Cooter and Kelly looked like they was ready to tear out each other's throats. Hopefully, the ride out to the Duke Farm will let both Davenports cool their tempers, but if that don't work, Uncle Jesse will do it for them.**

(End of Chapter 2)


	3. Chapter 3

- - - - 

"Now, Lulu Belle, just you stay put," Jesse said as he sat on his stool, milking the last of his goats. The brown and white goat bleated her complaints, but she remained still for Jesse, letting the aged farmer finish milking her. When he finished he untied her from the post and scooted her off; she scampered off to join the rest of the herd. Jesse sighed and got to his feet, taking the milk-filled bucket in his hand and heading to the house. He stopped short when he saw two black cars approaching. He watched as they stopped near the house and the back doors opened – and his niece and nephews got out.

"What in tarnation is goin' on?" Jesse asked as he walked over. "What did you three do?"

"We didn't do nothin', Uncle Jesse," Bo said. "We swear."

"Don't you be swearin', Bo," Jesse warned. "Now, where did ya get these?"

"They ain't ours," Luke replied. "We were just hitchin' rides, that's all."

Jesse opened his mouth to say something when Cooter stepped out of his limo, followed by his two agents. Cooter smiled at Jesse, happy to see his old friend after being gone for so long.

"Hey, Uncle Jesse," he said, walking over and holding out his hand.

Jesse quickly got over his shell-shock at seeing Cooter, and he smiled. "Don't be callin' me Uncle." He pulled the politician into a warm hug. "Good to see you again, Cooter."

"Good to see you too," Cooter replied.

Kelly got out of her limo, with her detail behind her. She smiled and walked over. "Hey, Uncle Jesse."

Jesse looked down at the young girl, his eyes wide. "Kelly?" he asked. "Is that you under that mess a blonde locks?"

Kelly chuckled. "Yep, it's me." She grinned as she threw herself at the farmer, wrapping her arms around his neck. She closed her eyes and leaned her head against her chest as Jesse enveloped her in his big strong arms. "It's been too long."

"Yes, it has," Jesse replied, hugging her tightly. He kissed her forehead. "So, how are you and yer daddy doin'?"

"Not bad," Kelly replied quickly.

"We're fine," Cooter added.

Jesse raised an eyebrow at the Davenports. "Now, look here, you two. Do you honestly think you two can pull the wool over my eyes?"

"What's that supposed to mean?" Cooter asked.

"It means yer lyin' ta me," Jesse said.

"How?" Kelly asked, folding her arms.

"Because the only time you two ever ride in separate vehicle is when yer mad at each other," Jesse replied. "And since there are two limos, why don't you save me all a lot a trouble and just tell me what's goin' on?"

"Why don't you let Daddy tell you?" Kelly snarked, glaring at her father. "I'm sure he'd be more than happy to tell you everything."

"Hey, now don't be takin' that tone with me," Cooter retorted.

"Or what?" Kelly asked. "You gonna spank me again?"

"You are really pushin' it, Kelly," Cooter warned, his voice rising.

"Alright, that's enough!" Jesse shouted. Cooter and Kelly stopped and stared at Jesse; he glared at the two Davenports. "You two knock it off now!"

"But Uncle Jesse!" Kelly protested. "He -"

"Don't you 'but Uncle Jesse,' me, young lady," Jesse replied. "Listen here, both of you: you don't be comin' out here and disrespectin' me by yellin' at each other after bein' away for two years!" Cooter and Kelly opened their mouths, but Jesse held up a hand. "I don't wanna hear any of it. Now, git inside the house!" He watched Cooter and Kelly glare at each other before marching into the Duke house; their Secret service agents followed them. Jesse turned to his niece and nephews. "Okay, what's goin' on with them?"

"Kind of a long story," Luke replied.

"And we don't even know all the details," Bo added.

"They ain't talkin'," Daisy said.

"Well, I have a feelin' they'll be talkin' to me," Jesse said. He headed into the house with his family behind him. He stopped just inside the door, seeing Cooter and Kelly sitting at opposite ends of the table, glaring at each other, their respective agents standing behind them; it reminded Jesse of one of those mobster movies.

The farmer took the milk bucket over to the stove and poured the milk into the pot on the backburner while Bo, Luke, and Daisy carefully took their places at the table. When he was finished Jesse put the empty bucket in the sink, then he walked over to the table, standing in between Bo and Daisy.

"Alright," he said, his voice calm and collected. "Now, why are you two are tearin' at each others' throats?" Cooter and Kelly stayed quiet. "Cooter?" Nothing. "Kelly?"

Silence reigned in the kitchen for a few moments, the tension building as the Dukes looked back and forth between their friends, and the Secret Service agents tried to be invisible. Finally Kelly caved, bursting out indignantly with, "He spanked me! At the Boar's Nest, where everybody could hear! He turned me over his knee like some... some... child, and he swatted me! Twenty times!" By her tone she obviously expected everyone in the room to see how horribly unfair the whole situation was. Barely pausing for breath, she looked around beseechingly. "Can you believe that? He yanked me over his knee and gave me twenty swats!"

"And you deserved every single one," Cooter spoke up.

"I did not!" Kelly shouted.

"You stole a limo!" Cooter shouted back.

"I stayed in it like you told me to," Kelly retorted. "It isn't my fault if you couldn't be bothered to specify where it had to be."

Five sets of eyes narrowed and five jaws tightened, though Kelly didn't notice. "Alright, Miss Loophole," Cooter said, working hard to resist telling her precisely what she could do with it, "then explain that with what you did at Heathrow."

"I'm not sure I even want to know what happened at Heathrow," Luke muttered under his breath.

"Oh, I'll tell you exactly what happened," Cooter replied. "The Prime Minister and I had just finished a meeting, and he was heading with us to the plane when all of a sudden I hear this shouting behind us. I turn around, and there's this thick layer of smoke flooding the entire corridor. Split second later, I'm thrown to the ground, along with the Prime Minister; I'm looking around for Kelly, but I can't see anything. After a few moments, I'm being yanked to my feet and hauled away to the plane while the Prime Minister is being taken away."

"And where's Kelly durin' all this?" Daisy asked.

"Oh, they found Little Miss Smoke Starter here about ten minutes later," Cooter replied. "In the storage room of one of the restaurants in the terminal, making out with one of the busboys." All four Dukes turned to Kelly, their eyes wide with shock.

"What?" Kelly asked. "Nothing happened."

"You set off a smoke bomb in an airport!" Cooter said. "You were lucky the Prime Minister was understanding enough to make sure you weren't mentioned in any of the press releases – or arrested!"

"See?" Kelly said. "Everything worked out, and you're still making a big deal out of it!"

"Well, Kelly, to be honest," Bo said, "yer daddy's right."

"Oh, sure, take his side!" Kelly shouted before getting up and storming into the living room. Cooter sighed and ran a hand over his face tiredly. The Dukes watched him for a moment, and they could see his age coming through the lines on his face. They felt sorry for their friend, and worried about their 'niece.'

"Somethin' is botherin' that girl," Jesse replied. "And it ain't the tannin'." He took the empty chair next to Cooter. "How long has she been like this, Cooter?"

"Sometimes it seems like forever," Cooter answered. "I try talkin' to her, and she starts bitin' my head off." He leaned back in his chair and sighed. "It's obvious that she's mad at me, but I haven't a clue why or when it all started."

"Well, maybe we can help," Daisy said.

"Daisy, I appreciate the offer," Cooter replied, "but we gotta get back to Atlanta; we were just comin' here to get Angel and head back to D.C. tomorrow."

"You were gonna let her drive the Angel in D.C.?" Luke asked in disbelief.

"I was gonna let her drive Angel at the Virginia International Raceway," Cooter answered. "Give her a chance to do something she enjoys. Now, I'm not so sure I'm ready to let her behind the wheel with her temper right now."

"Can I suggest something?" Daisy asked. "Let Kelly stay here for a while."

"No, absolutely not," Cooter replied. "We need to get back to D.C. I got work I need to do."

"Does Kelly have anything planned?" Jesse asked.

"Not really," Cooter answered. "She finished her dissertation, so she's waiting to hear from her advisors."

"Well, Cooter, I know you haven't been here in a while," Jesse replied, "but we still have phones, so you can call us if you hear anythin'." Cooter gave him a wry expression. "Seriously, it might do Kelly a world of good bein' back here."

"And since she doesn't seem to wanna tell you what's botherin' her," Luke added, "maybe she'll open up to us."

"Yeah, she kinda started to at the Boar's Nest before you showed up," Bo said. "I betcha if ya give us a week, we'll have it all figured out."

"Thanks, Bo," Cooter replied sarcastically.

"Sorry, Coot," Bo said. "Didn't mean it like that."

Cooter took a deep breath. He knew Bo was telling the truth, but it still hurt to know that he couldn't figure out what was wrong with his daughter. "I know, Bo," he said. He glanced at Jesse. "You honestly think she'd be better out here for a few days?"

Jesse put a hand on Cooter's shoulder. "I'm positive."

Cooter nodded. "Okay," he said slowly. "If you think it'll help Kelly." He stood up. "I better go tell her the news."

"Actually, I think it might be best if one of us goes," Luke said, standing up. "I'll go let her know." He left the kitchen and headed into the living room. Kelly wasn't anywhere in sight. Luke sighed, knowing where she was probably hiding. He headed to Daisy's room and walked in; he saw the far window pane was open, and he headed over and stuck his head out. Sure enough, the giant oak tree next to the house had a new occupant. Sitting on the largest branch, leaning against the trunk, was Kelly. Luke could see she had tears in her eyes as she stared off into the distance.

"Hey, you," he said softly. "You got room for one more out there?"

"You wanna yell at me more?" she asked.

"No, I wanna talk to you," Luke replied. "So, can I come up?" Kelly shrugged indifferently, so Luke climbed up the window and quickly scaled the large trunk until he was sitting next to the young woman. "Hi there." Kelly didn't say anything. "So, what's goin' on?"

"Nothin'," Kelly replied.

"Uh, huh," Luke said, not believing her. He took a deep breath. "Kel, I know you think everyone is against you right now, but you gotta admit it: what you did today was wrong, especially at Heathrow."

"Dad told you, huh?" Kelly asked.

"Yep," Luke replied. "Kelly, you know better than to set off explosives in an airport."

"It was a smoke bomb," Kelly retorted. "Nothing exploded."

"It was still an incendiary device in an airport," Luke said. "You are really lucky you didn't get into any trouble. Now, come on, sweetie, what's botherin' you?"

"What makes you think something is bothering me?" Kelly asked.

"Because the only time you get really ornery is when somethin's botherin' you," Luke replied. He put arm around her shoulders. "You want to talk about it?" Kelly slowly shook her head. "Okay, well, maybe later then."

"I won't be here later," Kelly replied glumly. "We're heading back to Atlanta tonight."

"Well, maybe not," Luke said. Kelly looked at him, confused. "How would you feel about stayin' here for awhile?"

Kelly chuckled mirthlessly. "Yeah right."

"I'm serious," Luke said. "Daisy and Jesse suggested that maybe you just need to spend some time here. 'sides, it has been two years since we last saw you; things were startin' to get quiet around here."

Kelly chuckled a little. "Not that things are ever quiet in Hazzard."

Luke laughed. "No, they ain't."

Kelly glanced up at Luke. "I can really stay here for awhile?"

Luke nodded. "If you want. We got two years to catch up on – and I do believe the Angel is in need of a good romp with the General."

Kelly looked hesitant for a moment, then a small smile slowly spread across her face. Luke knew that was going to have to do for now, and he smiled as he pulled her closer and kissed her forehead. He knew that something was bothering his Kelly, and he really wanted to know what it was so he could make it better, but he was content for the moment just to have her back.

**Balladeer: Ya know what, folks? Whoever said that ya can't go home was wrong. Kelly's home alright, and by the look on her face I have a feelin' it'll do her – and even ol' Cooter - a world of good.**

(End of Chapter 3)


	4. Chapter 4

- - - - 

A short time later Luke came back into the kitchen, where everyone looked up as he walked in. "Well, Kelly and I had a long talk," he said.

"In the tree again?" Bo asked. Luke nodded.

"And?" Cooter asked.

"And she wants to stay here, Coot," Luke answered.

"Figures," Cooter replied. He knew that was going to be Kelly's decision, but it still hurt. He sighed and got to his feet. "Where is she now?"

"She's takin' a nap in Daisy's room," Luke replied. He saw Cooter heading toward the kitchen door with his detail. "Coot, you leavin'?"

"Not yet," Cooter replied. He stopped and turned to Gary and Paul. "You two figure out which one is going to stay here."

"Now, Cooter," Bo spoke up, "you really think that's necessary? I mean, we're all gonna be here."

"I know, Bo," Cooter replied, "but things are different now. At least one of them has to remain with her at all times – that's their duty." He turned and headed out of the kitchen with his detail following behind.

"It's your turn," Gary said to Paul.

"Me?" Paul asked. "I had to watch her at the Prime Minister's banquet."

"And remember what happened?" Gary replied.

"Hey," Bo spoke up, frowning. The agents looked over. "Stop talkin' about Kelly like she was a coyote in a hen house."

"What is that supposed to mean?" Gary asked.

"It means stop talkin' about Kelly like she's trouble," Luke answered.

"That girl is trouble," Gary replied.

"You don't know her," Daisy said. "Sure, she high-spirited, but she ain't trouble."

"Then you don't know her that well," Gary added.

"We know her better than you ever will," Jesse spoke up. "We helped Cooter raise that girl from a little baby into a proud young woman. And we don't take to no government agents comin' here and tellin' us anythin' different. And if you really think that way about her, then maybe you shouldn't be protectin' her."

"Believe me, if it was up to us, old man," Gary replied, "we'd be stuffing her into a trunk and sending her to Cairo." He immediately regretted saying that as four Dukes glared at him. Jesse slowly walked over to Gary and got in his face.

"Now, you see here," the farmer said, his voice low, "you may be agents of the government, but this is still my house, and Kelly may not be blood kin, but she's still family. And around these parts we look out for our own. So you and yer partner can leave this house one of two ways: you can show yerselves to the door, or you can be throwed out."

"Do not threaten a Secret Service agent," Gary warned Jesse, "or you'll be finding yourself behind bars."

"Hey," Cooter said. Everyone turned and saw him standing in the kitchen doorway; he was holding a black upright suitcase with wheels, a black leather backpack, and a black computer bag. He frowned at the melee in the kitchen. "What's going on here?"

"Cooter," Jesse replied, "may I have a word with you?" Cooter put the bags on the table and followed Jesse into the living room, out of earshot of the others. "Now, Cooter, you know I wouldn't usually go against you when it comes to these matters, but I'm havin' serious doubts about those two agents."

"Jesse, I know they don't like her," Cooter replied. "No one wants to be on her detail, but I can't leave her here without at least one of them. It doesn't mean I don't trust you or the others; I just want her to be safe. Besides, these guys don't like a lot of people they protect, but they still protect them."

"Cooter, one of 'em threatened to put Kelly in a box and mail her to Cairo," Jesse said.

Cooter furrowed his eyebrows. "Which one?" he asked.

Jesse and Cooter headed back into the kitchen, and Jesse pointed at Gary. "This one."

Cooter glared at Gary. "Did you threaten my daughter?" he asked.

"Well, you see," Gary said, "all I said -"

"Yes or no, Agent," Cooter interrupted.

Gary sighed. "Yes," he replied.

Cooter set his jaw straight as he edged over to the agent and got in his face; Gary stood at attention, staring straight ahead. "You do realize that once we get to Atlanta I will be informing the Director of your comments."

"Yes, sir," Gary replied.

"And you will be with me when I make that call," Cooter said.

"Yes, sir," Gary answered.

"Which means you" he looked at Paul "will be staying here with Kelly. Is that understood?"

"Yes, sir," Paul replied.

"Good," Cooter finished. "Now, I got something that I need to do, but when I get out here, I want you" he pointed to Gary "in the limo, and I want you" he looked at Paul "to be securing the area." He grabbed the bags from the table and left the kitchen, heading for Daisy's room. He quietly walked in and saw his daughter curled up on her side, sound asleep. He carefully set the bags near Daisy's vanity and unzipped the upright suitcase; laying on top of neatly folded clothes was a worn out orange giraffe with faded blue and yellow spots. He closed the suitcase and walked over to the bed, sitting down next to his sleeping daughter. Cooter watched her for a few moments before leaning over and gently putting the giraffe in her arms. Then he smoothed the hair from her face, leaned over, and gently kissed her forehead.

"Pumpkin," he said softly, "I sure wish you'd tell me what's bothering you." He watched as she shifted and settled, holding her giraffe close, then she slowly opened her eyes. "Hey there."

"Hey," Kelly said softly. She yawned and glanced down, seeing the giraffe in her arms. "How'd Jeffery get over here?"

"Oh, I had a feeling you'd be wanting him," Cooter replied. He took a deep breath. "Now, Kelly, I -"

"I want to stay here," Kelly interrupted gently.

Cooter nodded. "I know . . . and I think it's a good idea."

Kelly looked at little confused. "Really?"

"Really," Cooter replied. "I mean, it's been a couple years since you've been out here . . . and I know you need a little vacation from finishing up your classes." He also knew she just needed to get away from everything – and he wondered if it was his position that was the cause of her change in attitude lately. He was tempted to ask her if that was the case, but he knew she'd just yell at him – and this was the first time in a long time that they'd had a conversation that didn't have any shouting in it, and Cooter aimed to keep it that way.

"What about racing?" Kelly asked.

"What about racing?" Cooter asked.

"Luke suggested the Angel and the General have a romp; it's been a while."

Cooter raised an eyebrow. He was tempted to put his foot down and say no; Kelly was a vixen on the road – and Cooter knew he was partially responsible for that (as were the Duke boys). He also knew that Kelly had motor oil in those veins of hers, that driving (and cars in general) was a big part of her life - and the mechanic side of him was very proud that she had taken to something that had been his entire life. He sighed.

"I'll talk with Paul and the boys about that," he said. "You know you can't just go racin' on a whim anymore."

"Paul?" Kelly asked. "Paul is gonna stay behind?"

"You rather have Gary?" Cooter asked.

"Well, no, not really," Kelly replied, "but they both hate me."

Cooter shook his head. "Kelly, let's not start that right now. I'll talk with them about setting up something where you can safely take the Angel out, okay?"

Kelly sighed. "Fine," she replied. She knew her father was right, but she still didn't like it. "So, how much vacation time do I get?"

"Well, I would like you back as soon as possible," Cooter replied. "We got that banquet to attend in less than two weeks." Kelly groaned. "Kelly, what do you have against the F.B.I.?"

"They're a bunch of morons, that's why," Kelly replied. "Besides, the speaker isn't even a Fed. He's a college professor."

"Who happens to have considerable knowledge in that field," Cooter added.

"A mathematician talking about bombs?" Kelly asked. "I say if you're gonna talk about incendiary devices, you get someone who's been around them."

"Like you?" Cooter asked wryly.

Kelly gave a sheepish look. "Well, I have been around them more than a few times." Cooter didn't look too amused. "Okay, fine, fine, I'll come back a few days before the banquet - if I can at least get a new dress for this thing."

"That's fine by me," Cooter replied.

"And new shoes," Kelly added.

"Okay," Cooter said.

"And a complete day spa treatment?" Kelly asked.

"Only if you promise not to get into trouble here," Cooter replied.

"Daddy, it's Hazzard," Kelly said. "How much trouble could I get into here?" Cooter gave her a look. "Okay, maybe you better not answer that question."

"Yeah, 'cause I don't have time to list all the possible ways before I leave," Cooter added wryly. He saw Kelly yawn and her eyes droop, and he knew that the jetlag from all the traveling was really catching up on her. "Look, just be careful, and don't cause any trouble, okay?" Kelly nodded. Cooter kissed her forehead. "Go on and get some rest. I'll call when I get to Atlanta."

Kelly put her head back on the pillow and closed her eyes, holding Jeffery close to her. "Be careful," she replied, already half asleep.

"You too, pumpkin," Cooter said softly. He carefully got up and headed for the door. He glanced back at his daughter one last time before leaving the bedroom and shutting the door behind him. He saw Bo and Luke waiting for him, and he sighed. "Look, uh, boys, do me a favor. Take care of her, okay?"

"We always do," Bo replied.

"I know," Cooter said.

"Hey, uh, Cooter," Luke spoke up, "when me and Kelly was talkin' earlier, I kinda told her we could do some racin'."

"She told me, Luke," Cooter replied. "I'll talk to Paul. Shouldn't take too much to convince him to get him to agree to it."

"Now, wait a second," Bo said. "I thought you was his boss."

"I am," Cooter replied. "But he is still in charge of Kelly's protection. Now, he's already been familiarized with the area – he had to do that before we even stepped foot in here – but he's gonna need to know every detail about the race: where it's gonna to be, how long it's gonna be, the works. I mean it, boys, no surprises."

"You got it," Luke said.

"And Paul rides with Kelly," Cooter added.

"You sure that's a good idea?" Bo asked. "You know how Kelly drives in the Angel; you don't want to scare Paul to death."

"Paul will be fine," Cooter replied. "Because Kelly knows what I'll do if she does anything to him."

"What about the sleepin' arrangements?" Luke asked. "I mean, not that we don't appreciate Kelly bein' here, but -"

"Don't worry," Cooter interrupted. "I'll talk to Paul, and see if he'd be okay taking her back over to the farm." He paused. "Are L.B. and B.B. out there?"

**Balladeer: Cooter had asked his cousins to keep an eye on the garage and the farm while he was in D.C. Cooter intended to finish his latest term as Senator and come back to Hazzard, but that plan changed when he became Vice President. Still, his cousins – and the Dukes – promised to take care of it for the next four years until Cooter could come back and get back to his old way of livin'.**

"Well, not now," Bo added. "They left town yesterday to do some salvagin' in Memphis, and they won't be back town for the week. We said we was gonna take care of your place while they was gone."

"That's fine," Cooter said. "I know Kelly'll be sad that she missed them, but I know being back in her own room might make her feel more at ease. Now, I really need to get going." He brushed past the Duke boys and head back into the kitchen with Luke and Bo behind him. Jesse was working on preparing the goat milk on the stove, while Daisy was peeling potatoes. "Well, I wish I could stay longer, you two, but I need to get back to Atlanta." Daisy and Jesse abandoned their duties as Cooter came over.

"Did you say goodbye to Kelly?" Jesse asked.

"Yeah, we talked for a bit," Cooter said. "I need to go talk with Paul for a moment, but I'll be right back." He headed out of the kitchen, leaving the four Dukes together.

"So, what's the verdict?" Daisy asked.

"We overheard them talkin'," Bo answered. "It was nice to hear them speakin' without shoutin' and yellin'."

"Cooter's gonna let Kelly stay here for about a week," Luke said.

"More importantly, he's also gonna talk Paul into lettin' Kelly race the Angel while she's here," Bo added. He grinned. "And the General has been in need of a swingin' date."

"Now, before you two go makin' wild plans," Jesse warned, "you better talk with that agent first - if Cooter can talk him into lettin' this whole thing happen. I know that you like racin' with Kelly – and that Kelly likes racin' with you – but you have to remember that things are different now."

"We know that, sir," Luke said. "Kelly's safety comes first before any car or racin'."

"Glad to hear that," Jesse said before going back to the goat milk.

"You know, even if you don't get to race with Kelly," Daisy added, "you better at least take her jukin'."

"Now that goes without sayin'," Bo replied. "Can't have her here and not go jukin'." Everyone looked over as Cooter came back into the house, followed by Paul. "So, uh, what's the verdict, Coot?"

"Paul has agreed to accompany Kelly on the race," Cooter replied.

"Yeehaw!" Bo shouted. Everyone glared at him, and his grin quickly faded. "Sorry."

"You better hope that didn't wake Kelly up," Luke said. The group stayed quiet for a few minutes.

"Now, as I was saying earlier," Cooter said, "Paul will be going with Kelly on the race, provided that the stipulations we talked about earlier are met."

"Of course," Luke replied. "We'll help out in any way we can."

"Thanks, boys," Cooter said. "I also told Paul about Kelly staying out at our place, and he has no problem with that. I'd also like at least one of you to be there with her – both of you, if that's no problem."

"Not a problem at all," Luke replied.

"Good," Cooter said. He sighed. "Well, I need to get on the road." He stuck out his hand. "Thanks for everything, and sorry to have to cut and run like this." He shook Bo, Luke, and Jesse's hands, and he hugged Daisy. Then he headed out of the kitchen with the Duke clan behind while Paul excused himself to stay with Kelly. The Dukes waited near the porch as Cooter went to his limo.

"Is Kelly's limo stayin' here?" Daisy asked.

"No," Cooter answered. "I'm takin' it back with me. Don't want to tip off anyone that Kelly isn't where everyone thinks she is. I'll be back in a week." He waved before getting in his limo. The Dukes watched as the limos drove off and were out of sight in a few minutes, then they turned and went back into the house.

**Balladeer: Now, folks, I don't know about you, but I'm gettin' kinda excited about this race. It's been a while since the General and the Angel have had a good romp down the back roads together. And if ya'll haven't seen these two kickin' up dust, then stick around. Yer all in for a rompin' good time.**

(End of Chapter 4)


	5. Chapter 5

- - - - 

Two hours later, the Duke boys were getting the table set for dinner when Kelly came walking in with Paul close behind. She looked rested and refreshed in a jet black tank top, a pair of snug jeans, and black boots; her hair was in a tight ponytail. Daisy was the first one who noticed her as she finished setting the plates, and she smiled at the young woman.

"Hey, darlin'," she said. Everyone looked over and smiled.

"Hey," Kelly replied.

"Sleep well?" Jesse asked. Kelly nodded.

"Looks like you finally put on some respectable clothes," Bo said, grinning as he helped Luke with the silverware and glasses.

"Well, when in Hazzard," Kelly replied. She paused and sniffed the air, then she slowly grinned. "Man, I know that smell."

"It's your favorite," Jesse replied. "Country fried chicken, mashed potatoes, macaroni and cheese, and homemade biscuits." The boys finished putting the silverware on the table, then they helped Jesse bring the plates with the food over to the table. The five took their seats, and Paul took his place behind Kelly. Kelly rolled her eyes and turned around.

"Will you sit down like a normal person?" she asked.

"My job is to maintain a vigil watch over you, Miss Davenport," Paul said.

"Well, you can maintain that vigil in a chair," Kelly retorted. "And get some of Uncle Jesse's good home cookin' too."

"Miss Davenport," Paul said, "my job -"

"If you don't sit your butt in that chair right now," Kelly threatened, "I will stuff mashed potatoes down your pants. And stop calling me Miss Davenport too."

"I'd listen to her," Luke said. "She can get mighty dangerous with a handful of mashed potatoes."

"'Sides," Bo added, "you'd hear anyone comin' from a mile away before they got close to the farm. So, sit, eat, and lighten up a little."

Paul saw five pairs of eyes staring at him, and after a few moments he conceded and sat down in the chair beside Kelly. After Jesse said grace, they dished out the food and began eating.

"So, when's this race going to be?" Kelly asked around a mouthful of chicken. She saw Jesse giving her a look for talking with her mouth full, and she quickly swallowed. "Sorry, Uncle Jesse."

"Well, we was thinkin' our favorite route," Luke replied. "It's not too dangerous, since you've been gone for a couple of years, but it's still challengin' for you and the Angel."

"The one with the ridge jump?" Kelly asked.

"You better believe it, darlin'," Bo replied. "Only the best for you and the Angel." Kelly grinned and blushed.

"'Ridge jump?'" Paul asked. "There's going to be jumping in these cars?"

"Can't have a race without a jump or two," Kelly replied. She saw Paul's expression. "Oh, lighten up, Paul, I'm a good jumper." She grinned. "And we'll make sure you get a helmet too."

Paul looked uneasy, but he sighed. "So, what's the layout of the course?" he asked. "I also need to know all the hazards, hiding spots, all accessible roads, including possible escape routes."

"What would you be needin' escape routes for?" Luke asked. "Wouldn't be able to use 'em unless Kelly drove 'em, and she ain't one to chicken out of a race."

"Not, but if someone were to come after Kelly," Paul replied, "it's my job to get her out of the situation as quickly as possible."

"If anyone tries goin' after Kelly," Bo said, "we'll make sure that person will be very uncomfortable."

"From what I've heard about you from Vice President Davenport," Paul replied, "I know what to expect from you two, but I'm still in charge of Miss – er, Kelly's safety, and I want access to that information – or there is no race." Kelly glared at him. "You know the rules, Kelly."

"Yeah, I know the rules," Kelly muttered before going back to her eating. She didn't see the concerned looks from the Dukes. "When are we going to go get Angel?"

"After dinner," Luke said. "We'll run by, pick her up, and then head to the Boar's Nest."

"To pick up the General?" Kelly asked.

"And Dixie," Daisy replied. "After we all do a little jukin'." Kelly grinned. She loved jukin', especially with her 'uncles'.

"'Jukin'?'" Paul asked.

"Just drinking and dancing," Kelly replied. "Don't get your badge in a bind. Now, come on, the quicker we eat, the quicker we can go the Angel and go jukin'." She went back to eating, and the others soon joined.

**Balladeer: Now, you know, aside from the Secret Service agent sitting at the table, and the absence of Cooter, that dinner table was bringin' back a lot of old memories right then.**

- - - -

The sun was beginning to dip low towards the horizon as the General pulled up beside the Davenport farm. Bo turned off the engine, and he and Luke climbed out of the open windows. Daisy, Kelly, and Paul were scrunched in the backseat, and they followed the boys out. Before they left the Duke Farm everyone had managed to convince Paul to change into less conspicuous clothes for his time here, so he borrowed one of Lukes shirts, jeans, and some boots; he looked a little uncomfortable being out of suit, but he didn't say anything as the five of them headed to the barn. Bo and Luke unlocked the doors and pulled them back. Kelly started to head inside, but Paul stopped her.

"Sorry," he said. "But you know I go in before you."

"Yeah, like there are snipers hiding in the barn," Kelly snarked. Paul gave her a look. "Fine." She waited while Paul drew his gun and headed into the barn alone. Kelly folded her arms. "This sucks."

"Kelly," Bo warned.

"Sorry," the girl replied, "but it does. The guy is overreacting."

"Maybe so," Luke said, "but he's just trying to do his job." They waited until Paul came back a few minutes later.

"So, is it safe to go in now?" Kelly asked sarcastically. "Or is there a spider in there who might jump on me?"

"It's fine," Paul said, ignoring her sarcasm. Kelly brushed past Paul and headed into the barn with everyone behind her.

Cobwebs hung all over the place, and aside from some hay bales, a tractor, and large tarp-covered object, there was nothing in the old barn. The five stopped in front of the object, and Kelly's eyes danced as she stared at it, a smile spreading across her face. Bo and Luke grinned as they walked over and removed the tarp from the object, revealing an old – and dear - friend of Kelly's: the Blue Angel.

**Balladeer: Now, folks, the Blue Angel is to Kelly like the General is to the Dukes. And like the General, the Angel is very well known around Hazzard.**

The Blue Angel was, in fact, a 1967 Ford Mustang GT. Almost forty years old, it looked like it had just rolled right out of the factory. It had a royal blue paint job with sharp red, orange, and yellow flames on the front, and two white 00s painted on the doors. The hubcaps on the tires shone like silver. The Duke boys backed away as Kelly approached the car, smiling. She put her hand on the car and softly ran it across the length of the hood, then she put her head down on it and closed her eyes, the metal cold against her cheek.

"Man, I've missed you," she said softly.

"Nice car," Paul replied.

"This is more than a car," Kelly said, standing up. She walked around the car, giving her vehicle a once over, then she stopped near the driver's side door. "She is very special to me. Lots of memories."

"You know, I still remember when your daddy brought that thing in on his flatbed when you were thirteen," Bo replied.

"You two spent every free moment you could fixin' her up," Luke added.

"And how he spent every spare dollar he had getting the right parts for the engine and stuff," Kelly mused.

"You know what I remember most?" Daisy asked. "When you drove out of the garage the first time after she was finished. You were in the driver's seat, Cooter in the passenger seat, and we followed you in the General. Spent the entire day out on the back roads testin' her."

"Yeah," Kelly replied quietly, an almost sad look in her eyes.

"So, what kind of engine does she have?" Paul asked as he leaned against the car, his hands flat on the hood.

"Hands off the hood, Paul," Kelly warned gently. Paul removed his hands, and he gave the Dukes a questioning look.

"She doesn't like anyone touchin' the paint job," Luke explained.

"She won't even let us drive it," Bo added.

"Not until you let me drive the General," Kelly said as she reached in and pulled the hood release. The hood popped up a little, then Kelly lifted it all the way up, using the stand to keep the hood up so she could view the engine. Paul and everyone came over, looking at the engine inside the car. "She's got a 428 cubic inch supercharged engine with 390 horsepower. Daddy and I built it ourselves." She walked over to one of the front tires. "See the wheels? Four Vintage Torq-Thrust hubcaps." She kicked the tire. "Fifteen-inch Yokohama All Season tires."

"And you race in that?" Paul asked.

"Have ever since I could legally be behind the wheel," Kelly replied. "She's pretty fast."

"General's still faster," Bo said.

Kelly smirked. "Except for that one time, right, Uncle Bo?"

"That was just luck," Bo said. "And you cheated."

"I didn't break any of the rules," Kelly replied. She turned to Paul. "He's still sore about it, and it happened right before I left Hazzard."

"I was only sore because you were settin' a bad example – as usual," Bo retorted.

"You know, I never understood why you got yourself so worked up, Uncle Bo. It's not like you'd ever let him try it, anyway."

"You'd be surprised," Bo muttered, barely audible.

"Okay, you two," Luke said, reaching into his pocket. He pulled out a set of keys. "Why don't we get down to the Boar's Nest and have some fun?" He tossed the keys to Kelly. "We'll follow you and Paul, Kelly." He gave her a small wink.

Kelly smiled and nodded. She put the hood down and walked over to the driver's side. "Come on, Paul." She climbed in through the open window as the Dukes headed out of the barn.

"Great," Paul said softly. "More welded doors." He climbed in through the passenger window as Kelly started the engine. Once he was belted in she put the car into drive and slowly drove out of the barn. When she passed the General she sped up, and she glanced in her review mirror as the orange car followed behind her. It felt good to be driving her car again as she turned onto the main road, heading for the Boar's Nest.

**Balladeer: Now that's a sight for sore eyes, folks: the General and the Blue Angel back on the road again.**

- - - - -

The Boar's Nest was jumping in its usual fan fare as the patrons of Hazzard converged for their nightly ritual of dancing and socializing. The jukebox blared out a lively country song as a few of the patrons danced on the floor, including Bo and Kelly. Bo held Kelly's hands as he twirled her around, then brought her close and dipped her as the song ended. He was glad to see her with a smile on her face as he brought her up and they headed back to their table. Luke had ordered a new round for them – beers for himself and Daisy, ginger ale for Bo and Kelly (since they were driving), and water for Paul – and the waitress brought them over as Bo and Kelly sat down.

"That was some fancy footwork," Paul said.

"Me and Kelly have been partners for a long time," Bo replied, grinning. "Think we started when she was … about three."

"Same time I think we all knew you was gonna grow up lovin' cars," Luke added.

"Oh, gosh, not this story," Kelly replied, blushing, suddenly becoming very interested in her glass.

"It's a cute story," Luke said.

"And if you're going to tell it, then I'm going to get another drink," Kelly replied. She took her mug and stood up, heading for the bar.

"So, what happened?" Paul asked, watching Kelly.

"Cooter took her to the garage one mornin'," Bo explained, "and he was really bein' scatterbrained. He was workin' on this one car, when he realized he left his tools in the back room. He left Kelly sittin' on the engine while he went to get his tools. He came back, and Kelly was gone – sorta."

"What do you mean?" Paul asked.

"Well, she was there," Luke answered, "but all Cooter could see of her was her legs and feet stickin' up from the engine; she'd fallen inside."

"And this is cute how?" Paul asked. He was wondering how many times these people had hit their heads.

"Well, he got on his back on his roller board and rolled underneath the car," Luke replied. "And there she was. She was covered in grease and motor oil, and she was gigglin'. Cooter said it was in that moment that he realized Kelly was really his."

Paul tried to wrap his mind around picturing the Vice President in that position when he glanced over and saw a guy harassing Kelly near the bar. "Trouble," he said as he got to his feet. The Dukes glanced over, but instead of getting up to go defend their Kelly, Luke stopped Paul.

"Now, wait just a second," Luke said. "Let's see what she does first."

"I have a job to do," Paul replied. "You know, to protect her."

"Oh, let Kelly have a little fun," Bo said. "There's only one guy there; she'll be fine."

"If she gets hurt," Paul replied through clenched teeth, "it's my a-- on the line. Do you understand that?"

"Look, just relax," Bo said. "The only way Kelly's ever been hurt in a bar fight is when she slipped on a puddle of spilled beer."

Paul's face paled. "This isn't her first fight?"

"Oh, hell no," Luke answered. "She's been in at least ... what, Bo? Forty, fifty?"

"Fifty-four," Bo replied.

Luke smiled at Paul. "See? Don't worry."

Paul sinks down into his chair and buries his head in hands. "I am going to get fired for this."

**Balladeer: You know, part of me feels bad for Paul. I mean, he is just tryin' to do his job. Then again, this is Kelly Davenport – the girl who was raised by both Cooter and the Duke family …. that means she's more than capable of takin' care of herself. Just sit back and see what I mean.**

"Now, come on, darlin'," the guy harassing Kelly said with a flashy smile. "I saw the way you was dancin'. You got some good moves."

"No thank you," Kelly replied sweetly. She figured the guy was probably Bo's age – and she wanted to really show the guy what she thought about him hitting on her, but she was having a good time, and she wanted to keep it that way.

"Oh, come on, sugar," the guy said, putting his hand on Kelly's left shoulder. "You don't mean that."

Kelly glanced at his hand, then up at the guy. She smiled sweetly as she put her right hand over his – and then grabbed his wrist and twisted it. The guy yelped loudly as Kelly held his hand firmly with hers, her thumbs pressing against his hand as she kept his wrist bent and locked; he had to bend over as she locked his elbow and kept him at arm's length. The entire place stopped to watch the excitement, but Kelly didn't seem to notice.

Bo grinned proudly as he sipped his drink. "See?" he said. "Told ya she can take care of herself." Paul was a little stunned, but part of him wasn't all that surprised. He watched, along with the others, as Kelly dealt with her aggressor.

"Now, I tried to be all friendly like," Kelly said, slipping into a deep Southern accent, "but you had to keep pushin' me, didn't ya?"

"You b---h," the guy wheezed as he felt pain shooting up and down his arm.

Kelly tilted her head and raised an eyebrow. "Oh, you just did not call me that," she said.

"Teach him some manners!" Luke shouted.

Kelly smiled at her uncle. "Glad to, Uncle Luke!" she shouted back. She turned back to the guy. "Now, you see, you can't talk to ladies like that; it ain't nice. You need to be taught a lesson." Still keeping a hold on his wrist she took a step back with her right leg and then brought her knee up with all the force she could muster. Her knee slammed hard into the guy's face, and she let go of him a split second before he went flying backwards onto a table. It broke under his weight, smashing into pieces as the guy lay moaning on the floor.

**Balladeer: See? Told ya so.**

The room erupted into cheers, and Kelly curtsied before bringing her hands up in a victor's pose. Suddenly, she felt a pair of strong hands clamp down on her shoulders. She slowly lowered her hands as she turned; a big burly man standing behind her, glaring down at her, holding her shoulders.

"That guy is my friend," he growled, "and just 'cause you a lady, it don't mean you don't get to pay for puttin' the hurt on him."

"Hey!"

The guy looked over and saw Bo and Luke coming over with Paul. All three of them glared at the guy holding Kelly. It was Paul who had spoken.

"You might want to let go of her right now," Paul said.

"Or else what?" the guy sneered.

"If you don't let her go," Bo warned, his voice low and dangerous, "you'll find out."

"And as I see it," Luke added, "it's three against one; odds are a little against you, pal."

"Then why not even them up?" the guy smirked. The trio heard sounds of chairs being scraped, and they looked around – as six large guys rose from the tables around Bo, Luke, and Paul.

**Balladeer: Uh oh. Looks like I spoke too soon.**

(End of Chapter 5)


	6. Chapter 6

- - - - 

**Balladeer: Now let's see: two Dukes and one Secret Service agent - verses seven unsuspectin' visitors . . . yep, this oughta be interestin'.**

Bo, Luke, and Paul looked around as the new additions surrounded them, then they glanced at each other. Daisy sat in her chair, staying still, and Kelly watched from her place as the guy behind her held her shoulders in a vice grip.

"So, now what?" Bo asked.

"I'll handle this," Paul replied. He reached into his jeans pocket. "Look, fellas, I'm -" He didn't get to finish his sentence as one of the guys punched him in the face, knocking him back. That was all it took as the entire bar erupted into fighting.

**Balladeer: Now, folks, in Hazzard County there are a few forms of spectator sports to enjoy – racin' is one. Watchin' fights break out at the Boar's Nest every night is another one. However, unlike most spectator sports, fights in Hazzard quickly turn from spectatin' to participatin'.**

The six fellows attacked Bo, Luke, and Paul, and the three went to defending themselves. Daisy managed to scramble out of the way as two of the men tackled Luke; the former Marine was doing well, but there were still two of them against one. Bo had his hands full with two of the other guys, but he still managed to get some punches in. And then there was Paul; he took care of the two men attacking him quickly, then he headed over to go help Kelly, but then he was tackled from behind.

Kelly watched for a few moments from the sidelines, trying to get loose from the guy holding her back. At that moment she wanted three things: to join the fight, help her uncles, and to get that guy to let go of her. She glanced over her shoulder at the guy, who looked down at her.

"What?" he sneered.

"You better let me go," she said loudly over the noise.

"Or what?"

Kelly smiled sweetly, then she reached back and grabbed the guy's crotch. The guy's eyes bugged out as the young girl pulled and twisted – hard. The guy couldn't even make a sound as he released his grip on her shoulders and slowly sank to his knees. Kelly balled up her fist and slammed it into the guy's face. He was knocked backwards to the floor and didn't move.

"Or that," Kelly replied. She turned back to the bar and grinned at the sight before her. "Charge!" She charged full force at the closest guy to her who was beating up one of her uncles (one of the two attacking Bo), and she jumped on the guy's back. The guy shouted as she started beating him over the head and tried to pull her off, but then she grabbed a mug from a nearby table and smashed it over the guy's head; he dropped like a sack of potatoes.

"Yes!" she shouted.

"You show 'em, sugar!" Daisy cheered her niece on as Luke threw one of the guys off him. The guy stumbled backwards, but he kept his feet as the bar stopped him. Daisy grabbed a beer bottle and smashed it over the guy's head; the guy dropped to the ground, and Daisy grinned as she went back to watching the fight.

The Duke boys were starting to get the upperhand against their attackers as they stood on both sides of Kelly, and all three were delivering punches to the remaining three attackers.

"Well, this is just like old times, ain't it?" Bo asked loudly.

"I'm havin' fun!" Kelly grinned right before she got hit in the face; she stumbled back a little, but she charged back into the melee as the guy tried to hit her again. This time she blocked a punch from her guy and delivered one of her own. "Man, this is so much -" She shrieked as she was grabbed around the waist and pulled back. She reflexively balled up her fist and twisted her upper body around, letting her fist slam into the face of the person who grabbed her. Her eyes widened as she saw Paul's eyes roll up into his head, and he let her go as he fell backwards onto the floor. "Oops." She stared at her unconscious agent for a quick moment before going back to the fight.

"Like I was sayin'," Kelly replied as she faced the three guys with her uncles. The three guys charged the trio, and in perfect synchronized motion, Bo, Kelly, and Luke balled up their fists, pulled them back, and let them fly. They hit the three guys at the same time, and all three guys went stumbling back a few feet before falling unconscious to the floor. "This is so much better than D.C." The room erupted into cheers.

"You do know you knocked out your bodyguard," Luke said, his breath a little shaky.

"He shouldn't have grabbed me like that," Kelly replied, grinning. She smoothed some hair back and saw bruises forming on her uncles' faces. "Wow, you guys got a few mementos."

"You got one yourself, honey," Luke replied, noticing her right eye was bruising. "You okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine," Kelly replied.

Daisy came over as people started cleaning up. "Ya'll okay?" she asked, looking her cousins and Kelly over.

"We're fine," Bo replied. He glanced over at Paul. "He might need some help though." Daisy walked over to Paul and knelt beside him, trying to revive him.

"What in tarnation is goin' on here?"

Everyone stopped and turned their heads toward the front. Kelly was situated behind the Dukes, and she stood on her tiptoes and peeked over her uncles' shoulders – and she grinned. Standing near the doorway were two people Kelly knew all too well from her childhood days: Rosco P. Coltrane and Cletus Hogg.

**Balladeer: Now, since Boss Hogg – God rest his soul - passed away over ten years ago, it was only natural that Rosco would take over as Commissioner, and Enos became the new sheriff. Cletus became Deputy for a few years, but then he left to find work at the Chickasaw Police Department. After that . . . well, it got really interstin', but that's another story for another time. Oh, and if you think I know why Cletus is in the Boar's Nest in a Hazzard Police uniform …. Well, then you're sadly mistaken, because I don't have a single clue.**

"Now, Rosco, don't go getting' upset," Luke said. "Just had a little brawl, that's all."

"Little brawl?" Rosco asked. He saw Daisy still trying to revive Paul, and the rest of the men sprawled out around the bar floor. "This ain't a little brawl. Now, which one of you boys is responsible?"

"Rosco, we was just comin' to the defense of a pretty li'l lady who was bein' harassed," Bo replied, smiling.

"This pretty li'l lady was able to take down four guys in here on her own," Kelly spoke up, pushing through her uncles. "Five if you count Paul." She smiled at Rosco. "Don't mind them, Rosco. They're cranky I took out more guys than both of them combined." Rosco and Cletus both tilted their heads, confused.

"Uh, and who are you, Miss?" Rosco asked as he tipped his hat back.

"Now, see here," Bo said, hands on hips as he turned to Kelly, "just because you beat up more guys than us, Kelly, it don't mean that -"

"Kelly?" Rosco interrupted. He peered at her closer. "Kelly Davenport?"

Kelly grinned. "Yep, Rosco. It's me."

Rosco's frown suddenly turned into a grin as he let loose with one of his trademark laughs. "Well, slap me silly," he said as he walked over. He held his arms out, and Kelly chuckled as she hugged him. Rosco held her for a few moments before letting her go. He took her hands and stepped back. "Look at you, darlin'. Two years gone, and you still don't look like you ever left." He paused. "Well, what is this?" He fingered a lock. "You got yerself a mess o' blonde locks. What happened to the brown ones? Their warranty expire?"

Kelly laughed. "Actually, I just wanted to try something different, and I like them, so they're staying." She looked at Cletus. "And speaking of different . . . Cletus, is that you?"

"Yep, it's me," Cletus grinned and waved. "How you doin'?"

"Pretty good," Kelly replied. "What are you doing here? They kick you out of Chickasaw?"

"Nope," Cletus replied. "Just takin' over the Sheriff position for the time bein'."

Kelly furrowed her eyebrows. "What about Enos?"

"Uh, well, actually, he left," Rosco replied. "'bout a year an' a half ago."

"So, Cletus is the new Sheriff?" Kelly asked in disbelief.

"Well, no, actually it's -"

"Rosco, don't," Bo interrupted.

Kelly tuned to Bo. "What's going on?"

"Kelly, don't worry about it," Bo said more firmly, asking her with his eyes to just trust him and let it rest, but smiling slightly to take the sting out of his tone.

Normally, Kelly would have been okay with that reassurance, but her emotions were shot. "Oh, no you don't," she said. "Don't think you can wheedle your way out of this, Bo. I want some answers. I want to know where Enos is. Oh, and since we're on the subject of missing people, why does it seem like a certain someone else is missing as well?"

"Kelly, honey, trust me," Luke said, "no one is missin'. Everyone is just where they're supposed to be. Now, can we move on?"

"Fine," the young woman replied curtly. She'd get her answers one way or another; she was nothing if not persistent. She walked over to Paul and knelt beside him. "Paul? Paul! PAUL! Paul's eyes opened, and he shot up into a sitting position. "Glad to see you're awake."

"My head hurts," Paul replied, rubbing his jaw; he winced as his hand brushed over the large bruise forming underneath his jaw line. He saw Kelly and Daisy kneeling beside him; he frowned at Kelly. "You hit me."

"You shouldn't have grabbed me," Kelly replied as she got to her feet. She held out a hand, and Paul reluctantly accepted it; Kelly pulled him up. Daisy stood up beside them.

Paul moaned a little as he looked around, trying to get his bearings. His eyebrows raised when he saw the condition of the bar – and the eight men who had attacked him, Kelly, and the Dukes laying unconscious on the floor. "What happened?"

"We had some fun," Bo replied, grinning.

Paul glanced at Bo before looking back at Kelly. Her right eye was turning purple. "You're hurt."

"I'm fine," Kelly replied. "I've had worse done to me, believe me."

"Kelly, who is this?" Rosco asked.

"Rosco, this is Paul Holden," Kelly replied. "Paul, this is Rosco Coltrane; he's the Commissioner of Hazzard, and this is Cletus Hogg. Rosco, Cletus, Paul is my . . . bodyguard."

Rosco stared at Kelly for a moment – then it clicked. "Oh," he said slowly. He turned to Paul and held his hand out. "Well, sir, this is an honor. We take special care of anyone who watches over our Kelly."

"So, how many people actually claim Kelly?" Paul asked wryly, shaking the Commissioner's hand.

"Oh, about six hundred," Rosco answered. "Hu-g-g-g! She was adopted by pretty much the entire town." He leaned closer to Paul. "Uh, word of advice: if yer gonna be protectin' Kelly, you can't be gettin' hit all the time – especially by the person yer s'pposed to be protectin'." There were smatterings of snickers around the room.

Paul's cheeks turned red as he looked to Kelly, and he saw her grinning. He just gave her a look, and her smile faded. "We're leaving," he said.

Kelly smiled sweetly at Rosco. "We gotta run, Rosco, but don't worry. We'll talk more tomorrow, okay?"

"You better," Rosco warned playfully, wagging a finger at her. Kelly leaned over and kissed his cheek. "Awww, I miss that."

"And you have been keeping that promise you made, right?" Kelly asked.

"Which on would that be?" Rosco asked.

"The one where you've been behaving yourself," Kelly answered. "And staying out of trouble."

"Oh, he's been stayin' out of trouble alright," Cletus said. "But he sure been causin' a whole heap of it." Rosco elbowed him hard. "Ow!"

"Hush, you dipstick," Rosco said. He turned back to Kelly. "So, where's yer daddy?"

"He's working," Kelly replied, trying not to laugh at her old friend. "Look, it's getting late, and I'm getting tired from some traveling I did earlier today. Do you mind if we go?"

"Sure, sure, you get goin', and I still want you to come by the courthouse tomorrow," Rosco said.

"Deal," Kelly replied. She kissed Rosco's cheek one last time, then Paul escorted her out of the Boar's Nest with the Dukes behind as Rosco and Cletus went about taking care of the business at hand.

(End of Chapter 6)


	7. Chapter 7

_Disclaimer: Possible controversial topic ahead. If you don't agree with the topic, understandable, but no flaming please - everyone's entitled to their opinions and viewpoints._

_Jaxie_

- - - -

Kelly sighed, and a small smile spread across her face as she sank below the sudsy water. Daisy had ventured back to the Duke Farm after promising not to tell Jesse about the fight (Daisy was reluctant, but she agreed). After Paul checked the place out and gave it the all clear Bo and Luke went about getting settled. Kelly decided to unwind the only way she knew how: taking a long hot bubble bath.

The young woman resurfaced, then she wiped the suds from her face before leaning back, resting her head against the tub. The young woman was glad for the chance to wind down after the invigorating workout at the Boar's Nest, even if it did result in a black eye. She giggled, feeling more giddy than she had in a long time.

"What are you giggling about?"

Kelly glanced to her side as Paul sat in a chair near the tub. His back was to her, so he couldn't really see her . . . he wouldn't even if his back wasn't turned, because she was completely covered in suds, save for her neck, head, and arms. Still, Kelly didn't like him being in there - even if he had been ordered never to let her out of his sight; she wouldn't have even liked having another female in there. If it was up to her Paul would be tied to that chair and hanging upside down from the tree in her backyard.

**Balladeer: Now, I don't care who he is. If it were up to me, that guy would be out of that bathroom faster than a hot knife cuttin' fresh goat butter. You would think that Cooter would understand that, with Kelly bein' his daughter and all, but . . . oh well. At least he's keepin' his eyes turned away.**

"The fight," Kelly replied. "It was a nice change of pace."

"Compared to setting off bombs in an airport?" Paul asked sarcastically.

Kelly blew a raspberry at him. "Come on, admit it," she said. "You had fun tonight."

"I got a busted jaw," Paul protested. "From you!"

"I didn't hit you that hard," Kelly said calmly. "You're just going to have a bruise for a little bit."

Paul sighed. "You know, your father is going to kill me," he said.

Kelly bolted up into a sitting position, looking at Paul with wide eyes. "You're going to tell him?"

"I have no choice," Paul said.

"Yes you do," Kelly replied. "You can just not tell him."

"And if I don't," Paul said, "and he finds out, I'll be fired."

"And if you tell him, then I'll tell the press that you got knocked out by a girl," Kelly said. "Namely the girl you were supposed to be protecting." Making sure he kept his eyes averted Kelly carefully stood up and reached for her towel hanging nearby. She stepped out onto the thick rug next to the tub and dried off, then wrapped her hair in the towel. She grabbed the thick blue terry robe that hung next to her towel and put it on, tying it snugly around her. "I'm decent now, so you can turn around." She let the water out as Paul turned around, still looking uncomfortable.

"I'm going to my bedroom," the young woman announced. She opened the bathroom door and padded out, with Paul following her, heading down the hall to her bedroom. She walked in and shut the door behind her, but Paul grabbed it before it slammed in his face; he walked in and shut the door behind him. Kelly turned around and scowled.

"You know, I'm getting really tired of this," she said.

"I have my orders," Paul said, closing the door behind him. "I'm supposed to be with you at all times."

"And not for the free peepshow?" Kelly asked, folding her arms.

"Believe me, I couldn't care less what you look like," Paul retorted. "You know, if it was up to me, I'd gladly wait outside, but your father gave me explicit instructions." He turned his back to her. "Until those change, this is the best I can do."

Kelly scowled for a moment before walking over to her white dresser. She pulled out various garments of clothing – underwear, a pair of blue cotton drawstring boxers, and a matching t-shirt. She quickly took off her bathrobe and got dressed, then the tossed her robe over the white rocking chair in the far corner.

"Are you dressed yet?" Paul asked, a little annoyed.

"I'm dressed," Kelly answered, just as annoyed.

Paul turned around as Kelly she removed the towel from her head. She tossed it over her robe before going to her vanity and grabbing a comb. She sat down on her vanity stool and began combing her hair. While she busied herself Paul looked around her room, taking in everything once again.

Her furniture was stark white - the bed, nightstand, dresser, rocking chair, a little table next to the chair, and vanity – and everything matched. Even her sheets, comforter, and pillows were white, with frills and lace. The lamp on the nightstand was also white, along with the wind up clock ticking softly. It was what Paul expected to be in a girl's room.

Then there was the rest of the room.

Her walls …. Well, they were painted the exact same way as her car – right up to the red, orange, and yellow flames along the top trims near the ceiling. It was a bit unsettling for the agent, but he walked over to the rocking chair and moved the robe and towel, tossing them onto the bed before sitting in the chair. He watched Kelly with slight annoyance written across his face.

Kelly finished combing her hair when she saw Paul's reflection watching her. She put her comb down and turned around. "What?" she asked.

"Nothing," Paul replied. "Just trying to figure out what else you have in store for tonight. A little more sneaking out? Maybe a kick to the solar plexus?"

Kelly sighed. "Look, will you get over yourself? This is Hazzard."

"And I'm Secret Service and you're the Vice President's daughter. That means your safety comes before any fighting you want to do."

"Look, we both know you don't like me, so just stop the pretense."

"I never said I didn't like you. I don't like the things you do, yeah, but I'm actually one of the few agents in the Secret Service who doesn't want to strangle you."

"That's comforting to know," Kelly replied sarcastically. She headed over to the bed and grabbed her robe and towel, then she walked over to her closet door and put them on the hooks on the door. She turned around and crossed her arms, leaning back slightly, watching Paul.

"What?" Paul asked.

"Wait here a moment," Kelly answered, heading for the bedroom door.

"Where are you going?" Paul asked, standing up.

"Look, if I promise to come back, will you just trust me for once?"

Paul raised an eyebrow as he crossed his arms. After a few moments, he sighed. "Fine," he replied as he sat down. "But don't be gone long."

Kelly nodded and opened her door, heading out. She padded into the living room, where Bo and Luke were watching television from the couch. She smiled and walked over, leaning over between them. "Hey," she replied. She saw the bruises on their face and inwardly winced.

"Hey, Jellybean," Bo said. "Feel better?"

"Yep," Kelly replied. "A home cooked meal, a good fight and a relaxing bubble bath make for a great day."

"Did Paul really stay with you in the bathroom?" Luke asked, looking less than pleased.

"Yeah, but he didn't see anything," Kelly answered.

"Better not have," Luke muttered. Kelly smiled before kissing his cheek.

"So, you goin' to bed?" Bo asked.

"Not yet," Kelly replied. "I want to look over my dissertation again – see if I missed anything."

"Now, I know we don't know much about that stuff," Luke said, "but ain't it a little late to be doin' that?"

"I'm just nervous," Kelly said. "I mean, that paper is going to be deciding what I'll be doing for the rest of my life …. Well, that and my internship." She shrugged. "I don't know."

"Look, you're gonna do fine," Bo said, "so stop worryin', okay?" He winked briefly at Luke, who nodded slightly. Then they suddenly grabbed Kelly's arms, and she shrieked as they pulled her over the couch and proceeded to tickle her. "Okay?"

"Fine, fine!" Kelly shrieked. The Dukes stopped tickling her, letting the young woman catch her breath. She saw Paul quickly rush in. "Paul!"

"I heard you shrieking," Paul said.

"We were tickling her," Bo replied as he and Luke helped Kelly to her feet. "You do know the difference between shriekin' and screamin'?" He was beginning to see why Kelly was annoyed with the Secret Service.

"Okay, okay," Kelly said, holding up a hand before Paul could retort. "Paul, I'll be in there in a minute. Promise." She waited for Paul to concede, and he did. He headed back down the hall.

Luke shook his head. "What a -"

Kelly sighed. "Look, before you say anything, don't. It's been a crazy night already. I'm going to get some ice packs, update my journals, and then head to bed."

"Ah, the journals," Bo mused with a smile. "I love those journals."

Kelly smiled and kissed her uncles' cheeks, hugging them tightly. "See you guys in the morning."

"Good night, sweetie," Luke replied.

"Night, Kelly," Bo said.

"Oh, and thanks for not telling Jesse about the fight," Kelly said.

"Hey, you think we want to get into trouble too?" Bo asked.

Kelly ruffled his hair before heading into the kitchen. She made a couple of makeshift ice packs from plastic sandwich bags and ice cubes, then she grabbed a couple of dish towels and headed back to her room. She saw Paul pacing inside her bedroom, but he stopped when she came inside and shut the door behind her. She didn't say anything as she walked over to her bed and sat down. "Come here," she said.

"What?" Paul asked.

"Come here," Kelly repeated. Paul raised an eyebrow, but he came over and sat beside her. The young woman took one of the ice packs and gently put it against Paul's bruised jaw. "There." Paul's expression was more than a little shocked. "What?"

"You're being nice," Paul replied.

Kelly smiled. "I'm not really the bh I seem to be."

"Then why do you act like one?" Paul asked wryly.

Kelly shrugged. "I don't know."

"Well, if it means anything," Paul said, putting his hand over his ice pack, "I think I like you better like this."

**Balladeer: Well, if that don't beat it all . . . looks like they're actually bondin'.**

"You mean you like me when I'm not hitting you?" Kelly asked, grinning.

Paul chuckled. "That too." He took the other ice pack and put it against Kelly's eye. "There you go." Kelly hissed a little. "Sorry."

"It's okay," Kelly replied, holding her ice pack. "This is really nothing compared to the other stuff that's happened to me."

"So I've heard." He tilted his head slightly. "Have you really been in a lot of fights?"

"Fifty four," Kelly replied proudly. She chuckled. "What, you don't think I can handle myself?"

"No, I know you can," Paul said, smiling. He paused. "So, what are these journals I heard you mention to Bo and Luke?"

Kelly laughed and put her ice pack on the nightstand before scrambling off her bed. She threw back her comforter and rummaged under her mattress; she grinned as she pulled out two spiral journals – one with a red cover with 'Arrest Record' written on it, and the last with a yellow cover with 'Punishment Record' written on it. She hopped back onto the bed and showed them to Paul. "These are my journals," she said.

"'Arrest Record?'" Paul asked. "'Punishment Record?'"

"I kept track of all the times I was thrown in jail," Kelly answered, handing him the red and yellow books. "And punished. Both are categorized by date, time, what happened, etc. You're more than welcome to look through them if you want while I do some updating in my other one." Paul put his ice pack on the nightstand and went back to the rocking chair with the two journals. Kelly walked over to her suitcase in the corner near her dresser and unzipped it, pulling out a thick spiral journal with a blue cover and 'Journal' written on it and a pen. She flopped onto her stomach on the bed and opened her journal to the first blank page, then she began scribbling her thoughts down.

Paul opened the red journal first. He flipped to the first page and started reading. Immediately, his eyebrows shot up. The first date, scribbled in childlike handwriting with a blue crayon, was October 15, 1986. He slowly looked up at Kelly as she lay on her bed, writing.

"You were five when you first got arrested?" he asked.

"Yep," Kelly replied, not looking up. "If I remember correctly, it was assaulting two officers of the law." Paul just stared at her, stunned. Kelly grinned as she looked up at him. "They kinda deserved it."

"It says here you took the Commissioner's hat, after kicking him," Paul read, "and then you kicked the sheriff."

"They were trying to bribe me with candy," Kelly pointed out. "Trying to keep me quiet so I wouldn't blab to Daddy and Uncle Bo and Luke about a land scheme I overheard Boss Hogg and Rosco talking about. They had a habit of doing stuff like that."

"So, they were corrupt," Paul replied. "Why didn't someone do something about it?"

"That's what we did," Kelly answered. "Daddy, Uncle Bo and Luke, Daisy, Uncle Jesse, and me all worked together to fight them."

"What about bringing in other people?" Paul asked.

"Well, there were Daddy's cousins," Kelly replied. "And Uncle Bo and Luke's cousins too. They helped us out sometimes."

"I mean officials," Paul said. "Get some good people in to do the right thing."

"No one wanted the job," Kelly replied. "So, we did what we could to help others." She shrugged. "Some people might see it as lawbreaking, but it can't be lawbreaking when the law's wrong, right? I mean, isn't that what the Revolutionary War was about? People stood up to something they knew was wrong – even though it was considered treason."

"Okay, that I'll buy, but what about that Confederate flag on the General Lee?" Paul asked. "You can't honestly support that idea, given what it represents."

"What you think it represents is a corruption of its true symbolism," Kelly replied. She shook her head, annoyed, slamming down her pen and getting to her feet. "I am so sick of defending that flag to people because of how some jackaes corrupted it."

"What are you talking about?" Paul asked.

"I was born and raised down here," Kelly said loudly, her voice laced with fire. "This is my home, and down here we believe that when you feel something is wrong, you fight against it. That's what the South did; they revolted against something they believed was wrong."

"That war was about slavery," Paul replied.

"Yes, slavery was a part of that war," Kelly said angrily, "but there were other issues involved as well. Didn't you ever pick up a history book?"

"I read plenty," Paul replied defensively, getting to his feet.

"Then you'd know that the South was also fighting against sectionalism and states' rights," Kelly said, not backing down. "I'm not condoning slavery, but don't go pointing the fingers at the South and blame them for the problem; there were slave owners in the North too, you know. And even freed blacks were still discriminated against up there and treated harshly." She paused for a second, catching her breath and trying to rein in some of her anger; she could see where he was coming from, but she was so sick of having to defend her way of life. She sighed, calming down a little. "Look, I'm against slavery and oppression, but I'm from the South, and I'm proud of the Confederate flag. It's about people who stood up for something they believed was wrong - just like my family and I used to do every day here in Hazzard." She stared at him for a few moments before marching back to her bed and flopping down on it; she grabbed her pen in a huff and went back to writing.

**Balladeer: You tell him, darlin'.**

Paul stared at the young woman for a few moments. He was revved up as well, but he was stunned. She hadn't outright attacked him or flown off the handle, like he'd expected her to; she actually came back with a reasonable argument. He took a deep breath and walked over to the bed, sitting down. "Look," he said. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make you angry."

"Yeah, well, you did," Kelly replied, scribbling furiously across the pages. "Just because we like the Confederate flag and display it, it doesn't mean we're racists."

"You're right, it doesn't," Paul said. "I didn't know; I'm sorry, really."

Kelly stopped writing and glanced up at him. "I know you are. It's just frustrating."

"Is everything okay?" Kelly and Paul looked over and saw Bo and Luke standing in the now open doorway, looking protectively angry. Kelly smiled.

"Yeah, we're fine," she answered. "I'm going to be going to bed soon." She gave them a look.

"Alright," Luke said. "Well, I'm gonna take the bed. Bo'll be on the couch."

"I still say you used a trick coin," Bo muttered.

"And what about you, Paul?" Luke asked, folding his arms.

"I'll stay in here," Paul answered. "That rocking chair looks comfy enough." Bo and Luke glanced at each other, then they nodded.

"Holler if you need anythin'," Bo replied.

"'kay," Kelly said. She smiled as Bo closed the door, then she turned and gathered her things, putting them on her dresser as Paul took off his boots and socks and put them beside the rocking chair before sitting down. Kelly glanced behind her and saw Paul putting his gun and badge on the small table near the rocking chair. She walked over to her closet and opened the door, pulling out a white knit afghan. She closed the door and walked over to the Paul, holding out the afghan. "Here, you might need this. It gets a little chilly in here. I don't mind it, but some people think it's too cold."

"Thanks," Paul replied, taking the afghan and covering himself with it. He watched at Kelly retrieved Jeffery from her suitcase and climbed into bed. She switched off her lamp, then she settled under the comforter and sheets. "Goodnight, Kelly."

"Night, Paul," Kelly said before yawning and closing her eyes. The only sounds that could be heard were the ticks from the clock mingled with the crickets chirping their nighttime serenade outside her window; within a few minutes she was sound asleep as Paul kept a constant vigil over her. He tried staying awake, but he'd had a really exhausting day. He yawned softly and closed his eyes, a slow smile spreading across his face as he drifted off to sleep.

**Balladeer: Well, it seems as if bein' home is really doing Kelly a world of good: she's already on good terms with her agent. Now, if the Dukes could only figure out what's botherin' her …. Oh well, that'll have to wait until tomorrow. Ya'll take care now, ya hear?**

(End of Chapter 7)


	8. Chapter 8

- - - - 

The next morning Kelly awoke to the smell of coffee. She yawned and stretched, then she slowly sat up and looked around through sleepy eyes. Morning light shone through her windows, and she saw Paul sleeping in the rocking chair, the afghan pooled in his lap; he snored softly. Kelly smiled as she threw back the covers and got up. Still holding Jeffery in her hands she quietly walked over to Paul and carefully tucked the afghan around him, then she took her robe off the closet door hook and shrugged into it, leaving the sash untied. She grabbed the sandwich bags full of water from her nightstand and padded out of her bedroom to the kitchen. She saw Bo and Luke sitting at the kitchen table talking to themselves around a box of fresh doughnuts and a jug of cold chocolate milk. She leaned against the door frame, watching her uncles with a smile on her face. After a few moments the two glanced over and saw the young woman standing there, and they smiled.

"Mornin', sweetie," Luke said. "You sleep well?"

"Pretty well," Kelly replied as she walked in. She dumped the water from the sandwich bags into the sink and tossed the bags into the nearby trashcan, then she came over and took one of the two remaining empty chairs. "Being in my own bed helped a lot." She held up Jeffery. "And it didn't hurt having him too."

Bo chuckled and gently snatched Jeffery from Kelly. He looked the orange stuffed giraffe in the face. "Thank you, Jeffery," he said seriously. "We know our Jellybean is safe as long as you're there to protect her."

Kelly grinned and shook her head. "You're awful," she replied.

"Well, what can I say?" Bo asked, handing Jeffery back to Kelly. "I like that giraffe."

"Yeah, he is pretty special," Kelly replied. She stared at her orange friend. "We've been through a lot together." Her stomach growled loudly, and she blushed.

"How about we get some food in you?" Luke suggested, pushing the box of doughnuts toward her. "Made a trip this mornin' just for you."

Kelly smiled. "Thank you." She grabbed a custard filled donut with a chocolate ice glaze, and topped with powdered sugar and sprinkles. She studied it for a few moments. "Man, I haven't had one of these since the last time I was here." She bit into the sweet pastry, and she moaned softly as she closed her eyes. "I'm on Cloud Nine. They need to make these all over the world."

"Honey, if very few people can handle you," Bo said, "then what makes you think they can handle a Kreamy Kelly?"

"Very true," Kelly replied. She yawned. "Okay, where's the coffee?"

"No chocolate milk?" Luke asked, feigning a hurt expression.

"You can pour the chocolate milk in the coffee," Kelly replied. "I just need some caffeine in me one way or another." She yawned again as she got up and went to the coffeemaker on the countertop and grabbed a mug from a cabinet. She poured herself some coffee, then doctored it with cream and sugar before heading back to her chair. "So, what's on the agenda today?"

"That's what I'd like to know." Everyone looked and saw Paul standing in the kitchen entrance, the afghan around his shoulders, his hair mussed up. He yawned, his eyes bleary, his clothes wrinkled. He sniffed the air. "Do I smell coffee?"

Kelly pointed to the coffeemaker. "Mugs are above in the cabinet, and there's cream and sugar if you need." Paul grunted a little and went about preparing his coffee, then he walked over at sat down in the only empty chair left. He sipped his coffee, then he reached for a donut, grabbing one similar to the one Kelly had eaten. "You sure you want that?" Bo asked. "That's a special donut."

"Someone already claim it?" Paul asked.

"No, just sayin' it's a special donut," Bo replied. "It was named after Kelly. Few people can handle her, so they made that in her honor; few people can handle the amount of sugar in that thing."

"I think I can handle it," Paul replied. He took a bit out of the Kreamy Kelly – and immediately wished he hadn't. He nearly choked on the sugar that surged through his body; he could almost feel the diabetic coma setting in. "Oh . . . my . . . ." He blanched as he put the rest of the donut on the table and quickly downed some coffee. "That's . . . sugar."

"He did warn you," Kelly replied. She snatched the donut away and nibbled it up quickly. "Mmmmm, that's a good donut."

"So, how long are you going to be bouncing off the walls?" Paul asked, eyeing Kelly's coffee.

"Actually, this stuff doesn't faze me," Kelly replied. She turned to her uncles. "So. Agenda. Today. What is it?"

"Well, if we're gonna be racin'," Bo said, "then Paul should see the course before, especially since you'll be drivin' him."

"I know the course already," Kelly replied. She glanced at Paul. "Maybe I can go to town while you see the course?"

"Absolutely not," Paul said. "I have my orders: stick to you like glue."

"Paul, I promise I'll be good," Kelly replied, whining a little. "I'll even take Uncle Luke with me while you and Uncle Bo take in the course. And we'll just see Rosco and then come straight back. Please?"

Paul raised an eyebrow. "And where is Rosco?"

"In town," Kelly replied. "At the courthouse."

Paul slowly sipped his coffee and grabbed a regular glazed donut, munching on it. "I'll make you a deal," he said. "We'll all go there together, and I'll check it out. IF it checks out, I'll leave you with Luke, and I'll go with Bo. Sound fair?"

"You gonna tell my dad if we part ways?" Kelly asked.

"You think I'm suicidal?" Paul retorted.

"Good point," Kelly replied.

"So, we got a deal?" Paul asked.

"I can live with it," Kelly answered.

"Good," Paul replied.

"Good," Kelly added. The two shook hands, and everyone went back to eating their breakfast.

**Balladeer: Now, folks, just so you know, whenever Kelly goes and makes a deal with someone . . . watch out.**

- - - -

The General pulled up beside the curb next to the courthouse and Bo and Luke climbed out the windows. Kelly shimmied out of the driver's side, dressed in a tight black tanktop, tight jeans, and black boots, while Paul – still dressed in his clothes from the previous night - moved from the backseat to the front passenger side. Kelly and Bo walked over to the passenger side as Paul stuck his head out.

"Now, Kelly, I mean it," Paul said. "We had a deal."

"I'll be fine," Kelly said.

"Fine is good," Paul replied, "but I want you to behave. Capiche?" Kelly nodded. "I appreciate that."

Bo put his arm around Kelly's shoulders and gently pulled her close, kissing her forehead. "If you need anythin'," he said, "just CB us, okay?" Kelly nodded. "That's my girl." He left Kelly with his cousin and walked back over to the General, climbing in the driver's window. He reached into the back seat and grabbed two racing helmets, handing one to Paul, then he waved to Luke and Kelly before pulling away.

"Come on, sweetie," Luke said. He and Kelly headed up the stairs into the courthouse. "Rosco? Cletus?"

"Over here," Cletus said from his place at the front desk. He smiled and walked over to the two. "Where are Bo and that Secret Service agent?"

"Drivin'," Luke replied. "Checkin' out the race course."

"You gonna do some racin'?" Cletus asked, his grin getting wider.

"Blue Angel needs a workout," Kelly replied. "And I need one too."

"What's this I hear about racin'?" Rosco asked as he came out of his office, a pretty basset hound at his feet.

"Toodles!" Kelly shouted, grinning. She got down on her knees and held out her arms. The basset scampered as best she could over to the young woman and put her front paws up on Kelly's chest. Kelly picked the dog up and held her as Toodles gave her sloppy kisses. She giggled. "Oh, sweetie, you've grown!"

**Balladeer: Now, folks in case yer wonderin' what happened to Flash . . . well, I hate to tell ya this, but she passed away about ten years ago. Rosco was depressed for a while, but he eventually moved on and got a basset puppy, naming her Toodles. Ain't she cute?**

"Rosco's been giving her extra bacon treats," Cletus said.

Kelly nuzzled the sleepy basset as Toodles put her head on Kelly's shoulder. "Well, it doesn't matter to me," she said. She kissed Toodles' head before putting her down and looking at Rosco and Cletus. "Okay, so are you guys going to tell me what happened to Enos?"

"Now, Kelly, what did we talk about last night?" Luke asked. "You know, about trustin' us?"

Kelly sighed. "Fine, fine," she replied. "So, how are things in Hazzard?"

"Quiet," Rosco answered. "Especially since you've been gone." Kelly grinned and bowed.

"I don't think that was meant as a compliment," Luke said, smiling.

"So, how's yer daddy doin'?" Rosco asked.

"He's doing fine," Kelly replied quickly, her smiling become more forced.

"Uh huh," Rosco said, not buying what she was saying as he saw her change of expression. "So, what is it now?"

"Nothing I'd really like to talk about," Kelly said. "So, let's just leave it there." She sighed. "I'm going to go get a drink of water." She left the group and headed down the hall; Toodles scampered after the young woman.

"She and Cooter are havin' some problems," Luke explained.

"I heard he popped her a few times yesterday," Rosco said.

"Yep, and she kinda deserved it," Luke replied. "Though, there is somethin' goin' on that we haven't been able to figure out yet." He shrugged. "We got a little over a week, but we haven't really been able get through." Luke didn't worry very much, but when he did it was over something big, and the thought of his Kelly (who was practically his daughter) and Cooter (one of his closest friends) drifting apart fit that category. But unlike the other times he worried about things, Luke wasn't sure it could be fixed.

- - - -  
Kelly took a refreshing drink of water from the fountain, then she stood up and pulled her hair away from her face before wetting her hands and splashing a little water on her cheeks; it felt good, especially since talking about her father at the moment really boiled her blood. She used her t-shirt to pat her face dry, then she sighed and leaned against the wall; she glanced down and saw Toodles watching her.

"What?" she asked. "Don't get me wrong, Toodles. I love my father . . . it's just that he can get so . . . ." She trailed off as she glanced up and saw the stairs leading down to the jail cells. She slowly smirked and headed over, making her way quietly down the stairs with Toodles behind.

**Balladeer: Now, you know when Kelly smirks like that . . . nothin' good can come from it.**

Kelly stopped just outside the holding area and poked her head in. She smiled when her suspicions were confirmed: all eight men who had fought when her, the Duke boys, and Paul were locked in the three available holding cells. All of them had bruises from the fight, and the guy Kelly had 'grabbed' held an ice pack on his groin as he lay on one of the benches; Kelly had to stifle a laugh, feeling proud of what she did to them.

"And how are we doing today?" she asked as she walked in, arms folded. The men looked over and sneered when they recognized her. "Still sore?"

"What do you want?" one of the men asked.

"Just making sure you're all comfy and everything," Kelly replied. "I mean, after all, you all got beat up last night – fifty percent of you by me." They just stared at her. "That's half, you morons; in your case, four out of eight."

"You got a lot of nerve, girlie," another guy sneered. "If we wasn't behind these bars, you wouldn't be so cocky."

"Well, if you weren't so cocky," Kelly retorted, "then you wouldn't be behind bars in the first place."

"You are really askin' for it," another guy growled.

"You really think you're bad," Kelly said, "but you got beat by a girl, and that is sad. You came into town to prove you're the best, but you got beaten at the Boar's Nest. Now, I'm going to say this before anymore time has passed: all of you guys are really pathetic – and you can kiss my a."

"If I wasn't in here," another guy said, "then I'd be kickin' yer a." Kelly simply grinned and turned her back toward them, unbuttoning her jeans.

"Now, I know ya ain't doin' what I think yer doin'," a voice spoke up.

Kelly stiffened and slowly raised her eyes, seeing Luke standing in front of her. He stood with his arms crossed, and he gave her a stern look. She smiled innocently as she slowly removed her arms from her pants. "Hi, Uncle Luke," she said. "Lovely day, isn't it?"

"Don't even try to pull that on me, young lady," Luke said. "Now, button those britches and let's go."

"But -" Luke fixed her with a stare, and Kelly knew he meant business. She wordlessly buttoned her jeans and scooted past her 'uncle,' heading up the stairs . She heard the prisoners whoop and cheer, and she glowered as her cheeks turned red with Toodles beside her.

"Yeah, you put that bh in her place," the guy said.

Luke turned back to the eight men, fixing them with a hard look. He walked over the guy and swiftly grabbed the guy's lapels, pulling him close, pressing him against the bars. "If I hear any of ya say that about my niece ever again . . . these bars won't be able to protect ya. Do I make myself clear?" The guy slowly nodded, and Luke let him go before turning and leaving. He marched up the stairs and saw Kelly standing with Rosco and Cletus; he frowned as he walked over to her.

"What were you thinkin'?" he asked her.

"What?" Kelly asked. "It's not like I haven't mooned any prisoners before."

"And as I believe the last time ya did that was when ya was seventeen," Luke said. "Remember that, Kelly?"

"Oh, I believe moonin' the prisoners was the least of what she did that day," Cletus replied. "There was the outhouse she blew up too."

Rosco laughed. "Oooh, and don't forget takin' the Angel over the county line and challengin' -"

"Okay, okay, I get the picture," Kelly interrupted. "We all know I made my last day in Hazzard an event to remember."

"Ya know, I'm half tempted to take ya over my knee and tan yer hide the way yer father did after he caught ya," Luke said.

"But I'm bored!" Kelly all but whined. "The race isn't gonna be for at least a day, and I want to do something. Hell, I'd love to do some hunting or target practice right now if my bow and arrows weren't still in D.C."

"Well, bein' bored don't mean you get to moon prisoners," Luke said. "Second, I think I might be able to arrange gettin' you a bow and some arrows. And third . . . ." He swiftly smacked her bottom.

"Ow!" Kelly shouted.

"Hey, ya know what that was for," Luke replied.

"It was just 'hell,'" Kelly protested. Luke smacked her again. "Ow! Uncle Luke!"

"Stop sayin' it, and I'll stop smackin' ya," Luke replied. Kelly sighed and folded her arms, but she stayed quiet. "Now, ya came here to see Rosco, so I suggest ya visit with Rosco, or I'll tell Paul what you were doin'."

"Okay, okay," Kelly said quickly as she rubbed her rear. Luke hadn't harmed her, but there was still a lingering sting. She sighed as she turned to Rosco and slowly smiled as she put her arm through his. "So, tell me what's been going on with you, Rosco."

"Well, how about we talk over lunch?" Rosco asked.

"Rosco, it's ten in the mornin'," Luke said.

"Luke, hush," Rosco replied. "I'm boss now, and if I say it's lunchtime, it's lunchtime." He turned to Cletus. "Cletus, make yerself useful, and git us some good vittles."

"Yes, sir," Cletus said before he headed out of the courthouse and Kelly steered Rosco towards the Commissioner's office with Luke and Toodles following.

(End of Chapter 8)


	9. Chapter 9

- - - - 

Luke stood next to the curb outside the courthouse, rocking slowly on his feet. He looked anxiously down the road, waiting for Daisy to show up.

**Balladeer: I'm sure yer all wonderin' why Luke is lookin' so anxious. Well, while Kelly was visitin' with Rosco and Cletus, Luke had called Daisy and asked her to bring out three sets of bows and thirty arrows as soon as possible. That isn't what Luke is anxious about. Ya see, Jesse still doesn't know about the fight at the Boar's Nest, and the Dukes want to keep it that way, at least until their bruises fade. Now, we all know that they can't avoid Jesse for too long, and not tellin' Jesse somethin' like that is dangerous . . . so, to be honest, I don't know what them Dukes is thinkin'.**

Luke sighed and looked at his wristwatch. He knew it didn't take Daisy that long to get to the courthouse unless something was holding her up. He was contemplating calling her on the CB, but then he saw her jeep come around the corner. He smiled and breathed a sigh of relief . . . then his smile slowly faded as the jeep came closer – and he saw a familiar person in the front passenger seat. The jeep pulled up beside the curb and stopped, and Jesse just glared at his nephew.

In that moment, Luke felt his stomach turn to ice. He knew he was in big trouble, and he contemplated running. But he knew it would only serve to put him in even more trouble. Besides, his entire body was paralyzed with fear; he knew he couldn't move, even if he wanted to.

"Well," Jesse said, his voice laced with a dangerous edge that was reserved for when the patriarch was really mad. "What have ya got to say for yerself?"

Luke glanced at Daisy, and he knew from the uncomfortable look on her face that Jesse had already dealt with her – and Luke finally knew why it had taken her so long to get there. He glanced uneasily at his uncle. "Um . . .," he said slowly. "Hi?"

Jesse quickly got out of the jeep and got in Luke's face. "What in blazes were ya thinkin'!" he asked.

"Now, look, Uncle Jesse, the fight wasn't our fault," Luke protested. "We was just defendin' Kelly."

"I know that!" Jesse said. "I ain't got no problem with that! I do have a problem when ya keep it from me!" He turned his head when he heard a familiar engine, and he saw the General pull around the corner and speed over, stopping behind Dixie. Even from that distance Jesse could see the expression on his nephew's face as he sat behind the wheel, and Jesse knew Bo was seeing his life flash before his eyes. A quick glance at Paul in the passenger seat, and Jesse knew that the agent also looked terrified. "Alright, Bo, you and that agent git out here now!" Bo and Paul took off their driving helmets and slowly climbed out of the car; Bo slinked over to his uncle while Paul approached cautiously, looking pale.

"Well, where have you two been?" Jesse asked. "And where's Kelly?"

"She's supposed to be inside with Rosco and Cletus and Toodles," Bo answered. He turned to his cousin. "Ya told Uncle Jesse?"

"I didn't tell him," Luke said. "Daisy did."

"Now, wait just a cotton pickin' minute!" Daisy spoke up. "I didn't say a word!"

"Hush, all of ya!" Jesse spoke up. Everyone became quiet. "Now, Daisy didn't say nothin' to me. I found out from Mike when he called me this mornin'."

"Why didn't ya say anythin'?" Bo asked.

"Because I wanted to see if ya was smart enough to come clean with what happen," Jesse replied. "But it's clear to me that ya got less brains than a jackrabbit in a foxhole! Now, all of ya git into that courthouse now!" The four adults quickly scrambled toward the courthouse with Jesse walking behind them.

**Balladeer: See what I mean? Dangerous.**

- - - -

Kelly was in the middle of eating lunch – chicken fried steak and steamed vegetables from Mable's Diner across the street from the courthouse – and filling Rosco and Cletus in on what had been going on in her life when the front doors opened. Everyone looked over and saw Luke, Bo, Daisy, and Paul walk in. Kelly smiled widely as she stood up – then Jesse came walking in behind them; Kelly's smile fell flatter than a bad note. She quickly scrambled out of her chair, intending to head for the back door.

"Hold it right there!" Jesse shouted. Kelly froze in her spot. "Now, you git over here, young lady."

"Look, I'm sorry about fighting," Kelly said. "I didn't go looking for a fight. Honest, Uncle Jesse. I was just defending myself."

"I know you was," Jesse replied. "I ain't mad about that."

"Then why?" Kelly asked.

"Because you hid it from me," Jesse replied.

"What?" Kelly protested. She turned to the Dukes, looking hurt and betrayed. "You told me last night as we were leaving the bar that you'd take care of this." She turned to Jesse. "Look, they told me they would take care of this. I didn't know they actually planned on not telling you at all."

Jesse turned to his boys, glaring at them. "Is this true?" he asked.

"We didn't want you to get mad at Kelly and call Cooter," Bo said. "It wasn't her fault."

Jesse closed his eyes. "Bo," he said, his voice low with edge, "you and Luke git to Rosco's office and stay there until I come back for ya. Now." Bo and Luke knew better than to protest and glumly marched down the corridor to Rosco's office. Jesse turned to Paul. "And where do you fit into this?"

"I was doing my job, sir," Paul said. "They told me the same thing they told Kelly; I honestly didn't know what they planned on doing."

Jesse studied the agent for a moment, debating on whether to believe him or not. After a few moments he nodded. "Okay," he said. He turned to Kelly. "Honey, I'm sorry I accused you."

"It's okay," Kelly replied. "I would have done the same thing if I were in your shoes." She shrugged. "I've got a record of hiding things, after all."

Jesse walked over and put his hands on her shoulders. "Honey, I still should have asked before assumin'," he said. He glanced at her black eye. "You sure that eye's okay?"

"Yeah," Kelly replied. "Doesn't hurt much anymore."

Jesse leaned over and kissed her forehead. "You and I need to have a little talk soon," he said. He glanced down the corridor. "But I have to deal with my boys first."

Kelly winced. "Would you go easy on them? They were just trying to keep me safe."

"Don't you worry about them," Jesse said. "I'll deal with them proper." He left Kelly and headed down the corridor. Kelly glanced over as Rosco, Cletus, Paul, and Daisy came over.

"Is he really gonna do what I think he's gonna do?" Cletus asked.

"He already did it to me before we came out here," Daisy said.

"You know, sometimes I really don't understand you people," Paul replied.

"Never asked you to understand us, Paul," Kelly said. "Just accept us for who we are." She walked back over to her chair and sat down to finish her lunch. As she cut off a piece of her chicken fried steak and fed it to Toodles, the young woman thanked her lucky stars that she hadn't been on the receiving end of Jesse's wrath and hoped that her uncles wouldn't get punished too much – even though she knew they deserved it for their deception.

- - - -

**Balladeer: Now, some of you folks might think that the Dukes are too old to be punished, but you'd be wrong. This is the Duke family, and Jesse ain't afraid to discipline his family if he feels they deserve it, no matter how old they happen to be – and that's exactly what he did to his boys. But don't worry, ya'll, he didn't end there. After he was done administerin' discipline Jesse went about adminsterin' heaping doses of love and affection. When he was sure his boys were really okay, they left the office, and Bo and Luke apologized to Kelly; she of course forgave them, and soon after that the Dukes and Kelly and Paul left the courthouse and headed to the Duke Farm.**

Kelly stood tall with her feet set half a foot apart, her left foot in front of her right foot. She nocked an arrow in the center of her bowstring, letting the shaft rest on the bow above the handgrip. She held the bowstring with her first three fingers, the string settling in the crease of her last joint, the nock of the arrow between her middle and index finger and using her thumb to stabilize the arrow. She locked her arm straight, her elbow slightly rolled out, and lifted her head, facing her target: a bulls eye nailed to the Duke Farm outhouse standing one hundred feet away.

Paul stood nearby, watching with her with awe and a bit of wariness. He glanced over at the farm and saw Jesse sitting on the porch swing, watching Bo and Luke as they fixed the porch rails, while Daisy went about chopping wood. None of them seemed a bit fazed by Kelly standing there with a bow and arrow, and if there was one thing Paul was slowly learning was to take his cues from them. Still, he couldn't help but feel a little apprehensive seeing Kelly with a sharp object.

Kelly raised her bow arm, keeping it locked, and drew the string back until her thumb was against her jawbone, her index finger almost touching the corner of her mouth; she could feel the muscles in her shoulder and back as she held the string back. She lined up the arrow with the target, held her breath, and released the arrow. The arrow sailed toward the target – and struck it right in the center.

Paul whistled softly. "Wow, you weren't kidding," he said.

"I've been shooting arrows since I could walk," Kelly replied.

"You're good," Paul said.

"You want to try?" Kelly asked.

"No, thanks, the only things I shoot are guns," Paul replied.

Kelly smiled. "Hand me another arrow, then," she replied. Paul handed her an arrow from a small pile nearby; he furrowed his eyebrows when he saw the single stick of dynamite taped to it.

"What is this?" he asked.

"It's a dud," Kelly replied. "We do 'em that way to make sure we practice with the right weights and aerodynamics." She took the arrow and readied it in the bow.

"Why in the hell would you need arrows with dynamite taped to them in the first place?" Paul asked, eyeing her with new worry.

"To blow stuff up of course," Kelly replied. She took aim and fired the arrow. The arrow struck the bulls eyes – and the outhouse immediately exploded. Paul threw Kelly to the ground and shielded her as debris rained down around them. The Dukes hurried over as Paul slowly helped Kelly to her feet.

"You two okay?" Bo asked.

"Yeah, we're fine," Kelly replied as she brushed herself off, picking up the bow.

"That dynamite was not a dud," Paul said.

"No kidding," Kelly said, slightly annoyed.

Jesse turned to Bo and Luke. "Who made them arrows?" he asked.

"I, uh, think it was me," Bo replied sheepishly.

"Okay, then you git to rebuild that thing," Jesse said. "All by yerself."

"But that ain't fair!" Bo protested.

"What ain't fair is puttin' a live arrow in without Kelly knowin'," Jesse replied. "Now, git them tools and git started." He turned to Luke and Daisy. "You two git back to your chores." The three Dukes went their separate ways as Kelly picked up the remaining arrows and the bow. She checked the bow over carefully, making sure it wasn't damaged. She gingerly rubbed some dirt from the initials etched into the handle – J.C.D. – and she smiled, relieved.

"Kelly, why don't you and Paul come inside, and I'll git us some somethin' to drink?" Jesse suggested. The trio headed toward the house as Bo, Luke, and Daisy went back to their chores.

**Balladeer: Okay, I know that was a pretty serious thing that just happened, but you gotta admit – it was also pretty darn funny . . . and it brought back some good memories.**

- - - -

Kelly sat with Jesse and Paul at the table, drinking tall glasses of sweet iced tea. She leaned back in her chair as far as she dared and licked her lips. She loved Jesse's tea; it had just the right amount of sugar added. "So, what's up, Uncle Jesse?" she asked.

Uncle Jesse glanced at Paul, meeting the young man's eyes. Now, Paul didn't know Jesse very well . . . but he recognized the look Jesse was giving him. He nodded slightly and got to his feet.

"I'm going to go check the perimeter," he said as he headed out of the kitchen, leaving Kelly and Jesse alone.

"Oh, we haven't had a real chance to do some talkin' since ya got here," Jesse said. "Thought we could do some catchin' up. Find out what's goin' on with you."

**Balladeer: You gotta give Jesse some credit. He knows how to get Kelly to open up to him – even if she don't know she's doin' it.**

Kelly smiled as she took a sip of tea. "Well, I'll be happy to fill you in on anything you want to know," she replied. She shot him a look. "As long as it doesn't have anything to do with my father."

**Balladeer: Uh, maybe I spoke too soon.**

Jesse raised an eyebrow at the young woman. "What made you think I was wantin' to know about yer father?"

"Come on, Uncle Jesse," Kelly replied, grinning. "I'm getting my PhD in Psychology, and I know you how you think. Did you honestly think you could try pulling something like that on me, especially when I've been studying this subject for over six years?"

Jesse just sat there, a little surprised. He knew Kelly wasn't being sassy, but she had caught onto him. He sighed. "You know," he said, "it was so much easier when you was little."

Kelly's smile faded a little as she took a sip. "Well, I'm not a little girl anymore," she said, a mixture of sadness and bitterness in her voice so slight that Jesse wasn't sure if he actually heard it. After a few moments she smiled brightly. "Look, I know you want Bo to rebuild the outhouse, but I was partially responsible, so I'm going to go lend him a hand. Thanks for the tea, Uncle Jesse." She got up and headed out of the house, leaving Jesse with a worried look on his face.

**Balladeer: Yep, I did speak too soon. And it seems that both Jesse and me forgot somethin' really important about Kelly: when she don't wanna talk, she ain't gonna talk.**

- - - -

**Balladeer: Now, the rest of the day was uneventful, and soon night had fallen on Hazzard. After another dinner at the Duke Farm Bo, Luke, Kelly, and Paul went back to the Davenport Farm and got ready for bed. Night passed without any incidents, and soon the sun was peekin' up over the horizon.**

Paul slowly opened his eyes and shifted. He glanced over and saw Kelly's bed – without Kelly in it; the bed was made. The agent fully woke as he scrambled to his feet, looking around; there was no sign of Kelly. Paul hurried out of the room, searching the house for the young woman. "Kelly!" he shouted as he hurried into the living room. She wasn't there, and there were no signs of Bo and Luke. He ran into the kitchen; no one. Paul swore as he grabbed his gun and hurried out the front door, looking around. He stopped when he saw the barn doors slight ajar and light coming from inside. The agent breathed a sigh of relief as he reholstered his gun and headed for the barn. He walked inside and saw a few floodlights shining on the Blue Angel, and Bo and Luke standing around talking. Tools were scattered around the ground near the front of the car, and a pair of legs stuck out from under the body.

"What is going on here?" Paul asked. Bo and Luke stopped talking, and Kelly rolled out from under the car; her face, hands, and clothes were spotted with grease and oil. She held a wrench in her hands.

"I'm making final preparations on the Angel," Kelly replied. "Remember, we're racing today."

"I know that," Paul said. "You think you could have told me where you were going to be? I searched the entire house for you."

"Well, you looked so sweet sleeping, I didn't have the heart to wake you up," Kelly replied as she went back to tinkering under the body.

"Well, next time please wake me up," Paul said.

"Okay," Kelly replied. "I'm sorry." Her stomach growled. "Hey, since we're all up, anyone wanna make breakfast?"

"We'll get on it," Luke replied. "You finish the tune-up." He and Bo headed out of the barn, leaving Kelly and Paul with the Angel.

- - - -

**Balladeer: Now, the thing about Hazzard is that folks here like to make a big deal about things that mean a lot to them. Racin' ranks high up on that list, so when word got out that the General and the Angel were going to be racin' each other once again, well, naturally that meant the entire town had reason to celebrate.**

Orange and blue flags and balloons decorated the town square as people lined the streets. A large banner hung up near the courthouse, and it read 'Hazzard County Race – General vs Angel' in orange and blue letters. Below the sign was a white painted line. Daisy and Jesse were waiting near the line on the sidewalk with Rosco and Cletus. Everyone looked , looking down the street for the General and the Blue Angel. They didn't have long to wait.

The General and Angel came around the street corner, and the crowd erupted into cheers. The cars approached the line and stopped just behind it. Kelly climbed out and sat on the window, waving to the crowd before climbing back in the car.

"Was that necessary?" Paul asked as she reached into the back seat and grabbed two racing helmets.

"Yep," Kelly replied as she handed him an orange helmet. Her helmet was a little more elaborate – she had designed it herself. The base was a deep blue, almost purple color, covered with large and small flames. The large flames were yellow with red edges, and the smaller flames were silver. Kelly's name was scrawled on the side. She slipped the helmet on as Cletus walked into the street, standing in between the two cars. Kelly glanced over at the General Lee and smiled at her uncles. They smiled back as Bo revved his engine; Kelly revved her engine in response.

Cletus took his gun out, held it up over his head, and fired. Tires squealed as the two cars blasted away from the starting line. The crowd cheered and hollered as they watched the cars speed down the street. The cars were out on the back road in a matter of seconds, flying over the dirt, going so fast at times that it seemed as if the tires weren't even touching the ground.

"Now this is driving!" Kelly shouted as she gripped the wheel of her car. She glanced to her left and saw that the Angel and the General side by side, neck and neck, only a few inches between them. She grinned and grabbed her CB. "Come on, Uncle Bo, is that all you got?"

Luke grabbed the CB. "Now, Kelly, don't start gettin' cocky," he said. "The race has just started."

"And that means the Angel is fresh and ready to do this," Kelly said. She floored the gas, shooting in front of the General. "Whoooooooooooo!" Paul said a small prayer as he braced himself. He had gone driving with Bo the day before, but it was different with Kelly behind the wheel. Kelly grinned at him. "Having fun?"

"Oh, yeah," Paul replied. _This was not in the job description_, he thought as the car turned a sharp left, bouncing sharply over dips and bumps. He knew the ridge jump was a short way away, and part of him worried if she could actually take it, even though he had been reassured by Bo many times that she could.

"So, you boys plan on catching up, or you enjoying the view back there?" Kelly asked over the CB.

"Oh, that does it," Bo muttered. He floored the gas, and the General shot forward, catching up to the Angel. The two cars sailed down the dirt road, and all four occupants saw the ridge one hundred yards in front of them. Neither Bo nor Kelly were easing up on the gas as they approached the ridge. In perfect harmony the two cars sailed over the ridge, as if they were one.

"YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEHAW!" Bo shouted as they landed on the other side and continued driving down the road; the Angel was trailing behind by only mere inches.

"See what happens when you get cocky?" Luke said into the CB.

"The race isn't over yet," Kelly retorted.

"Oh yes it is," Bo muttered. As they approached the last curve on the course he remembered what Kelly did to him to beat the General; he yanked the wheel hard to the left, forcing Kelly to slow down to avoid a collision. Bo used that brief window to shoot ahead.

Kelly glared, knowing what stunt Bo was pulling against her. She pressed the gas pedal to the floor as the two vehicles headed back into town. They made their way through the streets at breakneck speed, approaching the finish line -

The crowd erupted into cheers as the cars slowed down, stopping a hundred feet past the line. Bo, Luke, and Paul climbed out of the cars as people came over and started congratulating them. It took the Dukes and Paul a few minutes to realize that Kelly wasn't with them, and they looked inside the Angel. The young woman just sat there, staring straight ahead, her helmet still on, her hands still gripping the wheel. Before anyone knew what was going on, the Angel's tires squealed moments before the blue car peeled away from the crowd.

"Great," Luke muttered. "Come on, Bo. Paul, you come with us."

"Better believe it," Paul said as he quickly scrambled into the General.

"We'll follow you," Jesse said, grabbing Daisy's hand.

"Need any help?" Cletus asked as the Dukes climbed into the General.

"No, we got it," Bo replied. He put the car into drive and pulled away, chasing after Kelly.

**Balladeer: Okay, now this is gonna be interestin'.**

(End of Chapter 9)


	10. Chapter 10

- - - - 

**Balladeer: Well, for the next few hours, the Dukes and Paul looked high and low for the young woman, checking in all the spots Kelly used to hide in, but they were outta luck. Kelly was hidden good. Finally, Jesse suggested searching in the one place in Hazzard they hadn't thought to check, downtown Hazzard. More specifically, Cooter's Garage.**

The General and Jesse's truck pulled up to the front of garage and they got out, looking around. The garage looked undisturbed, but they knew that appearances could be deceiving. They slowly approached the doors, and Jesse pulled out a spare key Cooter had given him a long time ago. He unlocked the doors, and Bo and Luke pulled back on one of them; everyone looked inside – and they saw the Blue Angel on the inside.

"Well, whaddya know," Luke said. He turned to Jesse. "How'd you know, Uncle Jesse?"

"This girl knew we'd be lookin' all over Hazzard for her," Jesse said. "And she also knew that we'd be thinkin' the last place she'd be would be the middle of all that ruckus." He glanced at the ladder leading to the room over the garage. "Now, I'll wait down here while you go git her."

"What can we expect up there?" Paul asked as he headed for the ladder with the younger Dukes behind him.

"Well, Cooter turned that place into a little place for Kelly when she was old enough to climb up there," Daisy replied. "Sorta like a clubhouse."

Paul slowly climbed the ladder, and Bo, Luke, and Daisy followed. The agent slowly peeked into the room and looked around. The place was a little dusty, but very tidy, filled with a menagerie of knick knacks collected over the years, and a few pieces of worn furniture, including an old recliner with brown corduroy upholstery. Kelly lay in the chair, curled on her side, sleeping.

"She's here," Paul said, sighing with relief.

"Is she okay?" Bo asked.

"She's sleeping," Paul replied as he climbed all the way in; the rest of the Dukes followed, and they all walked over. They were all irked at the young woman for worrying them, but then they saw the tear streaks on her cheeks.

"Aw, no, please don't tell me she's been cryin'," Bo said, feeling lower than a grasshopper's knee, knowing he was responsible for those tears.

"Now, Bo, don't be getting' all agitated," Luke replied.

"I made her cry," Bo said.

"No, you did the same thing to her that she did to you five years ago," Luke replied. "It was her choice to make it personal."

"I was not making it personal," Kelly said as she opened her eyes and glared at the adults. "Now leave me alone."

"Now, wait just a second," Luke replied. "Bo didn't do nothin' that you ain't done to him."

"Yeah," Bo agreed. He turned to Kelly. "And I didn't get all pouty."

"You got you're a kicked by a teenage girl," Kelly replied bitterly.

"Hey, watch that language," Luke warned.

"Or what, 'you'll tan my hide?'" Kelly asked. "You and Dad should get together."

"Now, see here, Kelly," Daisy said. "Don't be talkin' to us like that after you ran in here poutin' like a little girl."

"Why don't you all just leave me alone?" Kelly shouted. She turned her back on the group.

Luke closed his eyes for a brief moment, then he sighed. "I think this is gonna take a lot more than a few days," he muttered softly.

Suddenly, Kelly turned around and got to her feet. "Excuse me?" she asked, glaring at Luke. "And what is that supposed to mean?"

"Look, Kelly," Luke said, "we just -"

"You know, I had a sneaky suspicion that I was being allowed to stay here because you were working with my dad to try to get me to talk," Kelly replied. "But I was willing to overlook that, because I thought you all honestly wanted to see me." She brought her hand up and swiftly slapped Luke across the face. "Guess I was wrong." She brushed past the stunned adults and headed down the ladder. She stopped briefly when she saw Jesse standing there. She just shook her head, tears filling her eyes.

Jesse reached out a hand to her. "Now, Kelly," he said, his voice tender, "wait just -" He didn't even finish his sentence as Kelly bolted out of the garage, just as the adults started down the ladder. "Kelly!" He watched as the adults ran out the garage after her.

Tears streamed down Kelly's cheeks as she ran down the sidewalk. She wanted to run as far away from Hazzard as possible, away from the people who had betrayed her. She didn't know how far she'd get, but she didn't care. She ran as fast as her legs would carry her, calculating her bearings and possible escape routes as she approached the Hazzard Bank. She knew the alley behind the bank as well as the back of her hand, and she knew it was just the place to lose the people she knew were chasing her.

As she approached the bank she heard the alarm sound – just as the door opened and a couple of masked men carrying sacks came running out. The young woman skittered to a halt in front of them, barely missing crashing into them. The robbers and Kelly just stared at each other, then they heard shouting. They looked over as they saw the four Dukes and Paul running at full speed.

Kelly was turning to run when she was suddenly grabbed in a choke hold by one of the robbers. She struggled with him, but he held her tight. "Let me go!" she shouted.

"Stop moving!" the guy shouted at her.

"Kiss my a!" Kelly retorted. Suddenly, the robber put a gun to her head, and Kelly froze. "Or not." She glanced over at the Dukes and Paul, and she saw them approaching.

"Let her go!" Paul replied.

The robber turned, putting Kelly between him and the group. "Stop, or I'll shoot her!" he shouted. The group stopped. "Good! Now, we're gonna take her with us, and if we see any of you following us, she gets a couple holes in her head."

"Trust me, fellas," Paul said, keeping his hand at his side over his gun but not drawing it. "You don't want to do this."

"Oh yes we do," the robber said. He dragged Kelly over to a nearby car and opened the back door as his partner went over to the driver's side and got in. The robber shoved Kelly into the car and got in, keeping the gun trained on the young woman. He closed the door behind him as the car peeled away.

"Dt, Paul, why didn't you draw yer gun?" Bo demanded.

"Because Kelly had a gun to her head," Paul retorted. "He could have shot her; I couldn't risk that."

"But now she's been kidnapped," Luke said angrily. "Who knows what they'll do to her."

"Well, for now, they won't do anything," Paul replied. "They need a hostage, and I doubt they know who she really is. What we need to focus on now is finding her before they do." He looked uneasy. "And that means calling in reinforcements."

"Someone's gotta call Cooter," Jesse said. "Let him know what's goin' on."

"I'll get Cletus and Rosco," Daisy said, heading off for the courthouse.

"I'll come with you," Paul said. "I can call Atlanta from there."

"What about us?" Luke asked.

Paul took a deep breath and let it out slowly as his thoughts whirled. "Go into the bank and see if you can find out anything," he said. "Talk to the people in there, find out what they saw or heard. If you see anything don't touch it; I'll be back soon." He hurried off with Daisy to the courthouse.

"I'll wait out here," Jesse said to his boys. "You two do what Paul said." Bo and Luke nodded before heading into the bank. Jesse stayed outside and sighed, saying a prayer that his Kelly would be safely returned to him and his family.

**Balladeer: Now, friends, ya might think the Dukes and Davenports is just real friendly folks, and they are--but someone done messed with their angel girl, an' it's a safe bet that more'n wheels're about ta roll.**

- - - -

Kelly glanced out the passenger window as the getaway car drove down a muddy road. She knew where she was when she saw the abandoned house and the multitude of Georgia pines that surrounded the area; she was being taken to Old Man Conner's place.

**Balladeer: Old Man Conner used to grow Christmas trees for the people of Hazzard. After he passed on six years ago the place kinda fell apart . . . but them trees still stayed around. Kinda purty, especially in the winter after a fresh snow.**

The car stopped in front of the house, and the robbers got out. The one with the gun grabbed Kelly's arm and yanked her out. She struggled a little, then she swiftly kicked him in the shin, then she punched him across the face. The robber went stumbling backwards, and Kelly bolted down the road.

"Hey!" the second robber shouted as he took off after the young woman. He may not have been very strong, but he was quick, and he managed to tackle her. The two fell forward into the mud, and the second robber pinned her to the ground. She struggled with him for a few moments before the first robber managed to hurry over. He pointed the gun in Kelly's face, and Kelly stopped struggling.

"Now see here, girlie," he growled. "I don't wanna shoot you, but I will if you make me." His partner grabbed Kelly and hoisted her to her feet before pulling her toward the house. They walked up the porch steps, and the first robber grabbed some pieces of rope hanging on a nail near the front door. He opened the door and walked inside. He glanced around and saw a desk chair in the living room. "Bring her over here." The second robber followed his partner into the living room, and pushed Kelly into the chair. The first robber then used the ropes to tie Kelly's wrist to the chair's arms. "Now, you stay here, girlie." He turned to his partner. "Let's get the money." They left the room and headed out of the house.

Kelly struggled against her binds, trying to get loose, but she was tied down tight. After a few moments she stopped and sighed. She squeezed her eyes shut; trying to keep the tears from spilling out. She was frustrated that she couldn't get free and by how she had acted toward the Dukes and Paul. She knew they had been right: Bo hadn't done anything to her that she hadn't done to him, and she had no right to act the way she did to them. She sighed as she leaned back in her chair, wondering if they would even bother looking for her after what she did.

- - - -

**Balladeer: It didn't take long for reinforcements to come from Atlanta, and they took Hazzard by storm. Cooter was informed of the situation, and he had left from Washington D.C. immediately – along with the Director of the Secret Service himself. It would take them some time to get to Hazzard, so until that time agents from the Atlanta office were in charge. Now, I don't know too much about what them agents do or how they do it, but I can tell you they work fast. A team of them showed up quicker than a hot knife cutting through fresh goat butter. Half of them went about settin' up a command post or somethin' in the courthouse while the rest of them went about investigatin' the bank, askin' questions to anyone who'd seen anythin' and gatherin' anythin' they considered to be important.**

"So, you didn't see a license?" an Agent Johnson asked Bo as they stood outside the bank.

"For the tenth time no!" Bo said angrily. "The dang thing was covered in mud!"

Agent Johnson scribbled something down, nodding. "Thank you; that will be it."

"That's all yer gonna ask me?" Bo asked. "Ya ain't gonna ask me anythin' else?"

"You gave me the make and model of the car but no license," Johnson said. "You said you couldn't even identify the kidnappers. You have anything else that could actually be useful?"

Bo grabbed the agent by the lapels of his suit jacket. "Now see here, you," he said through clenched teeth. "Our Kelly is out there, and you ain't helpin' the matter by actin' like a pompous a!"

"Back off!" Johnson shouted as he pulled free from Bo. He smoothed out his jacket as he glared at the Duke. "You do that again, and I'll arrest you for assaulting a Secret Service agent." He walked off to the courthouse as Luke, Daisy, and Jesse came over.

"What happened?" Jesse asked.

"That guy is a jerk," Bo said. He turned to his Uncle. "They don't know their way around Hazzard like we do."

"Now, I know yer upset, Bo," Jesse said, "but gettin' the agents riled up ain't gonna help anyone out."

"At least we got Paul workin' with them," Daisy said, noticing the suited man walking out of the courthouse and over to the group.

"So, what's goin' on?" Luke asked.

"I have been officially removed from the case," Paul said.

"What fer?" Jesse asked.

"For not watching Kelly as closely as I should have," Paul answered. "For putting her in a situation that led to her abduction." He sighed. "Until further notice, I'm on suspension until the Director himself can have a word with me."

"So, what does that mean about findin' Kelly?" Daisy asked. "They're gonna need help from us."

"Well, they're talking with Rosco and Cletus," Paul replied. "And using local maps."

"Maps don't help in this situation," Luke said. "And no offense to Rosco and Cletus, but they ain't as sharp as they used to be. Did those agents look at the mud we spotted in the bank?"

"Yeah, and they took samples of the tire tracks the car left behind," Paul replied. "I overheard them talking about it as I was leaving. Clay concentrate mixed with pine needles."

"Pine needles?" Bo asked. He turned to Luke. "You don't think they're takin' her to Old Man Conner's place?"

"Who's Old Man Conner?" Paul asked.

"He used to grow pine trees for Christmas," Luke explained.

"'Used to?'" Paul asked.

"He died six years ago," Daisy replied. "Place has been abandoned since."

"I say we go check it out," Luke said.

"I'll go with you," Bo replied.

"Better grab our bows and arrows from the farm first," Luke said. He turned to Paul. "Paul, ya in?"

"Dn straight," Paul said. "Let's go."

"We'll stay here and keep and eye on the other agents," Jesse said. "If they do anythin' we'll call ya, so keep yer ears on." Bo and Luke nodded as they hurried back to the garage with to get the General.

**Balladeer: Anyone who thinks them Dukes ain't smart or nothin' because they're from the South, well, it just goes to show ya that things ain't what they always appear to be.**

- - - -

Kelly glared at the robbers as they sat at a nearby table, counting the cash from the robbery; they still kept their masks on. "You know," she said, "you better pray that my uncles don't find you. You'll be sorry when they come here." They ignored her. "Hey, did you hear me? They're gonna kick your aes!" Nothing. Kelly sighed and turned around, pushing on the floor with her feet, rolling backwards over to the table, then she turned around. "Hey, morons, you deaf as well as ugly? That why you still have those masks on?"

"That's it!" the second robber shouted. He grabbed his partner's gun from the table and aimed it at Kelly. "Let me shoot her!"

"Put that down" the first robber ordered.

"But she's being a pain!" the second robber said.

"And she'll be quiet," the first robber replied. He took the gun and aimed it at Kelly's feet before firing. The bullet went through the wood floor, millimeters from Kelly's left boot. The first robber stared at Kelly. "Won't she?"

Kelly's eyes were wide as she slowly scooted back to her place. "I think I'm going to stay over here and be quiet."

"Smart move," the first robber said. He put the gun down and went back to counting the money. His partner smirked at Kelly before joining his partner.

Kelly crossed her feet, thinking. She had encountered many kidnappers during her life in Hazzard – it had almost a weekly occurrence for her – but it had been a while since her last kidnapping. She remembered them being less violent than these guys; guns had been shown before, but this was the first time she had ever been shot at. She sighed, wondering if she should try anything else. After a few moments she thought it best to cool it for a bit.

- - - -

The General slowly made its way down the muddy road, stopping before they rounded the curve to Old Man's Conner's place. Bo, Luke, and Paul got out, and the two Dukes retrieved their stash of bows and arrows before they led Paul into the thicket. On the way over they had briefed the agent about the layout of the area, and they had formulated a plan of action, so they all knew their part. The trio hurried over to a large oak tree about fifty feet from the house hid behind it. Paul got his gun out as the Dukes readied their bows with dynamite arrows. They took aim at the car and fired. The arrows hit the car – and the car exploded violently.

Inside, everyone jerked their heads up. The robbers jumped from their chairs and hurried over to the front window, looking out. Kelly smiled, knowing what had caused the explosion.

"Our car blew up!" the second robber shouted. "Someone's found us!"

"Now, don't get all riled up," his partner said as he grabbed his gun. "We need to stay calm."

"To hell with staying calm," the second robber shouted. He started grabbing money from the table. "I'm outta here!" He headed out of the room, but as he passed Kelly she stuck her right foot out, tripping the robber. He fell to the floor, bills scattering.

Kelly smirked. "Gotta watch where you're going," she said.

The robber scrambled to his feet, leaving the money, and heading for the back door. He opened the door, and immediately came face to face with the barrel of a Sig Sauer P229, 357 caliber pistol.

"Move one inch, and I blow your head off," Paul growled as he kept the gun on the robber. The robber didn't move, and Paul wasted no time in swinging his gun up and backhanding the robber with it. The robber fell to the floor, unconscious, and Paul gripped his gun as he hurried into the house. He crept along the wall, then he stopped for a few moments to take a deep breath before hurrying into the living room, aiming his gun. He stopped short when he saw the first robber with Kelly, using her as a shield. She was still tied to her chair, and the robber had his gun pointed at Kelly's head.

"Secret Service!" Paul shouted. "Drop your gun, and put your hands up!"

"'Secret Service, eh?'" the robber sneered. "Isn't bank robbery and kidnapping usually an F.B.I. matter? Unless . . . ." he trailed off, glancing at Kelly. "Must be you he's interested in. That being the case, I think I have a little more leverage here."

From outside Bo and Luke snuck over to the window. They looked in and saw Kelly being held hostage by the robber and Paul looking for a shot. The two cousins glanced at each other and nodded.

"You so much as harm one hair on her head," Paul threatened, "and I'll put a hole in you."

"You won't shoot," the robber said. "You can't risk hitting her." Bo and Luke used their bows to smash the glass in the window. The noise caught the attention of the robber, and he turned his head and slightly moved his gun away from Kelly's head. Paul quickly calculated his shot and took it. He fired at the robber, and the bullet hit his hand. The robber shouted and dropped his gun. Paul hurried over and pulled out his cuffs as Bo and Luke hurried into the house. They started untying Kelly as Paul cuffed the robber.

"You okay, Kelly?" Bo asked as he and Luke frantically pulled at Kelly's binds. They tossed the ropes aside and visually checked over they young woman as she got to her feet to make sure she didn't have any injuries.

"Yeah, I'm fine," the young woman replied as she rubbed her wrists. She was glad the whole ordeal was over, and the emotional reserve she'd kept up finally broke. As tears welled up in her eyes she threw herself at Luke, hugging him around his waist. "I'm sorry, Uncle Luke. I didn't mean to slap you. Honest."

"I know, sweetie," he replied, hugging her back. Kelly glanced over at Bo. Luke gently passed her over to his cousin, and Bo hugged the young woman as she cried softly.

"I'm sorry, Uncle Bo," she whispered as she buried her head into his chest. "I was wrong."

"I'm sorry too," Bo whispered. He kissed her forehead as he rubbed her back.

"Is she okay?" Paul asked.

"You shot me!" the robber shouted. "In the hand!"

"Well, you almost shot me in the foot!" Kelly retorted, glaring at her abductor. "I say that makes us even."

"I'm going to radio the courthouse," Paul said. He dragged the robber with him as he headed out of the house.

"Did he really almost shoot you in the foot?" Bo asked.

"Yeah," Kelly replied.

"Well, he better be glad he didn't actually shoot you," Bo replied, growling a little. "Because I woulda put an arrow in his head." Kelly chuckled softly; she was very emotionally exhausted.

"You sure yer okay?" Luke asked, noticing how tired she looked.

Kelly nodded. "Yeah . . . just glad this is all over."

"Well, it ain't," Bo replied. "Yer father's comin' in."

Kelly groaned. "I'm dead."

"We'll talk to him," Luke replied. "Don't you worry about that none."

"Come on," Bo said as he picked up Kelly, holding her securely. "Just rest for now." Kelly leaned against Bo's chest and closed her eyes as he carried her out of the house; Luke followed, carrying the bows.

**Balladeer: Now, I'd say all's well that ends well, but it ain't endin' just yet; Kelly knows that she's gonna to have to deal with her father when he arrives, but for now she's just gonna enjoy the time with her uncles.**

- - - -

**Balladeer: Now, after Paul called the Secret Service and they came out and took care of everythin', includin' takin' statements and stuff and a couple of agents takin' the robbers to Atlanta, the remainder of the team headed over to the Duke Farm with the Duke boys, Paul, and Kelly. There, the agents from Atlanta went about guardin' the place while the others remained inside. Kelly felt so bad about everythin' she did that she burst into tears and began tellin' them what was really botherin' her . . . but she didn't get too far.**

Kelly was in the middle of her story when the kitchen door suddenly burst open and Cooter came rushing in. He had a worried expression on his face as he searched the room for his daughter. Once he spotted her he rushed over and pulled her to her feet, holding her tightly, kissing her forehead.

"Are you okay, pumpkin?" he asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine," Kelly said softly, leaning into her father, closing her eyes. It had been a long time since they had been together like that, and Kelly missed that closeness with her father.

Cooter pulled back and looked at her; he noticed her purple eye. "What happened?" he asked, frowning. "Who did that to you?"

"Oh, it happened a couple nights ago," Kelly reassured him. "There was a fight at the Boar's Nest, and -"

"Whoa, wait a second," Cooter interrupted. "What fight?"

"Um . . . there was a little fight at the Boar's Nest," Kelly replied. "I didn't start it, but -"

"You were involved," Cooter said. He sighed. "Well, that would explain your black eye." He glanced at the Duke boys. "And your bruises too." He looked at Paul and frowned. "You fought too?"

"Actually, I was trying to get Kelly out the fight," Paul replied.

"And I accidentally punched him," Kelly added.

"You what?" Cooter asked angrily.

"It was very confusing," Kelly protested. "He grabbed me from behind, and I acted reflexively."

Cooter sighed and rubbed his hand over his face. "Okay, so you got into a fight," he said. "Anything else happen that I should know about before we talk about your kidnapping?"

Kelly glanced at Bo and Luke and Paul, then she looked back at her father. "Well," she said slowly, "I practiced some archery yesterday."

"That explains why the outhouse is being repaired," Cooter said wryly.

"That was my fault," Bo spoke up. "I accidentally mixed a live arrow with the duds."

Cooter glared at Bo briefly before turning back to his daughter. "Anything else?"

"Well, the race went … well," Kelly replied, hoping she wasn't blushing.

"Uh huh," Cooter replied, folding his arms. "What happened?" Kelly turned away from him. "Kelly, don't make me ask again."

Kelly sighed. "The race went fine," she said. "Bo and Luke beat me."

"And?" Cooter pressed. Kelly's face fell. "And?"

"Now, Cooter, don't get mad," Bo said. "It was kinda my fault. I shouldn't have cut her off."

Cooter glanced at Bo, then he looked at his daughter. "Let me guess, you pouted, didn't you?" he asked.

"I didn't mean to," Kelly said softly.

"And you ran off, and then during that time you were taken, right?" Cooter asked. Kelly nodded, and Cooter shook his head. "I shouldn't have let you stay here."

"Excuse me?" Kelly asked, her expression shifting from apologetic to angry. "What is that supposed to mean?"

"It means you can't even stay here for a day without getting into trouble," Cooter replied.

"So, you're blaming this all on me?" Kelly asked.

"I'm blaming your attitude," Cooter replied. He turned to Bo and Luke. "And you guys didn't help the situation. I asked you to keep an eye on her."

"Cooter, I think yer really overreatin' here," Luke said.

"And I think now is the time for you to be quiet, Lucas," Cooter replied.

"Now, see here, Cooter," Jesse said, getting to his feet, "I know yer -"

"Jesse, stay out of this," Cooter interrupted. He turned to Paul. "And the Director wants to have a word with you – after I have a few with you myself." He turned to Kelly. "We're going back to D.C. – now."

"But you said I could stay here until a few days before the banquet," Kelly protested.

"And you said you'd stay out of trouble," Cooter retorted.

Kelly was furious. "But that's not fair!"

"You're in enough trouble as it is," Cooter said. "Now, Paul and I are going to go have a word with the Director. Say your goodbyes to everyone here, and then I want you in the limo." He turned and left the kitchen; Paul followed wordlessly behind him.

Kelly sighed and turned to the Dukes as her expression fell. "Guys, I'm sorry," she said softly.

"Hey, it's okay," Luke replied.

"No, it's not," Kelly said as tears filled her eyes. "Daddy had no right to get mad at you." She shook her head and chucked mirthlessly. "See why this is so frustrating?"

"Look, maybe if we talked with him," Bo said, "he'd -"

"No," Kelly said as she shook her head. "This is something I have to deal with." She tried her best to smile. "I had a really good time, guys. Thanks for everything."

"Hey, it was no problem," Luke said. He and the others walked over to the young woman, and he hugged her, kissing her forehead. "It was good seein' you again."

"Same here," Kelly replied. She turned to Bo, Daisy, and Jesse and hugged each of them. "Take care of yourself, please."

"You do the same, sweetie," Jesse said. "And be sure to keep in touch. We don't want to have to wait another two years to hear from you."

"I'll do my best," Kelly replied. She headed to the kitchen door, then she turned around. She smiled and waved as her eyes welled up with tears, but she refused to cry as she opened the door and disappeared, leaving the Dukes alone in their kitchen.

"So, we just gonna let her leave like that?" Daisy asked. She turned to Jesse. "Uncle Jesse, you know what Cooter did was wrong."

"I know, darlin'," Jesse replied. "But we can't get involved in this no more." He sighed and went over to the kitchen window. "Only thin' we can do now is pray – fer Kelly and fer Cooter." He watched as the limo pulled away with its Secret Service escort.

**Balladeer: You know, usually things in Hazzard end on a good note, but it don't look like that's gonna be the case here. Such a shame, too, considerin' that Cooter and Kelly used ta be very close, and now . . . well, that rift between them seems to have gotten bigger. But don't worry, folks; this story won't be endin' here. There's just too much at stake.**

To Be Continued . . . .

(The End … For Now)


End file.
